50 years ago today, the Washington Senators ...

[GeoPoto]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

... played its last game, before relocating to become the Texas Rangers. I would love to have attended this game, but with 6-week-old twins and two other kids under age five, there was no way for this to happen. Yesterday, the Washington Post had this interesting piece about this last game - I think folks will enjoy this read (hopefully, you won't encounter a paywall): https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...971-bob-short/

I left for college in late August, so the final game was not an option for me. But, in the late 60's, the Senators had areas in RFK designated as "Fan Club" seats for the more popular players. So a fan could sit in the Frank Howard fan club area, Mike Epstein fan club area etc. Perhaps the tickets cost a little more or the Senators performances were poor, but for whatever reason, somebody at my high school got the idea to create our own "fan club". So they picked the player who had the worst BA with qualifying plate appearances, which was Joe Rudi, then a young player for Oakland, who visited for 9 games a season. Rudi quickly became an all-star player and the "Joe Rudi fan club", Washington chapter, would show up when Oakland was in town. At least that's the way I remember it. It was our way of coping with the Senators chronic fecklessness.

[mrreality68]

WOW
Only know it threw the history books.
Only a toddler then,
Thanks for sharing and an interesting read.

https://www.yurasko.net/wfy/2011/09/...inal-game.html

This LINK is the Radio Broadcast of the game. Interesting to listen at the 2:43 mark about the build up and the people on the field

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

https://www.yurasko.net/wfy/2011/09/...inal-game.html
This LINK is the Radio Broadcast of the game. Interesting to listen at the 2:43 mark about the build up and the people on the field

Thanks for posting this, Jeff, it's amazing to listen to. I got to be great friends with the broadcaster, Ron Menchine, and it was always a hoot to listen to his opinion of Bob Short and MLB for letting him get away with it. Ron was a terrific talent, by the way, an old-school sports voice, who did Maryland and Navy football games among other things in his career, not to mention a speaking part in the movie, "All The President's Men." My heart had already been broken when the original Nats franchise left after the 1960 season, only to become the winningest team in the A.L. for the decade of the 1960s in Minnesota, so I could give a shit by the time the expansion team left.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Even if it came off a batting practice pitch, the Frank Howard home run was a great moment. Other than a few brief flashes from Mike Epstein and some great fielding by Ed Brinkman, he was the only good thing about the Senators teams from the late 60s that I grew up with.

[samosa4u]

All of this happened way before my time, and so I don't know much about it, but I just read now that Short was the one who purchased the Minneapolis Lakers and moved them to LA. We all know that LA Lakers went on to become the most popular sports franchise on the planet.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

All of this happened way before my time, and so I don't know much about it, but I just read now that Short was the one who purchased the Minneapolis Lakers and moved them to LA. We all know that LA Lakers went on to become the most popular sports franchise on the planet.

Dude had a bad habit of crushing the hearts of the local fanbase. Such a putz...

[butchie_t]

Here is the book and the tickets mentioned in my previous post.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Even if it came off a batting practice pitch, the Frank Howard home run was a great moment. Other than a few brief flashes from Mike Epstein and some great fielding by Ed Brinkman, he was the only good thing about the Senators teams from the late 60s that I grew up with.

I also liked Tim Cullen, Ed Stroud and Paul Casanova. We never got to see Toby Harrah, Dave Nelson, and others mature as they were all shipped off to the foreign country of Texas. Just another reason to hate Texas. I had one already.....(HTTR) and the move just added fuel to that fire.

Frank Howard was/is/and always will be my favorite player of all time. Ken McMullen was pretty good at 3B. Too good as he was traded for Aurelio Rodriguez. Blecch.... At least his 69 Topps card is memorable. Chortle.....

And lets not forget Curt Flood and Denny McLain and their short stints with the Nats too! "The days of wine and roses"..... What ex Senator said that later on in life?