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The new park will be welcomed, but RFK will live on in fan’s hearts
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - At Sunday’s RFK Stadium baseball finale, some fans unfurled a long sign in the outfield that read vertically in three sections, “SHORT STILL STINKS.” Those of us who were around when the expansion Senators played their final game Sept. 30, 1971 recall a similar sign that night that read simply “SHORT STINKS.” There were other signs that night to be sure, but their messages can’t be repeated in a family newspaper.
The late, unlamented Senators’ owner Bob Short had insisted all during his tenure that in order to be a major league city, we had to support his ball club to the tune of a million admissions annually. Not every club in baseball routinely drew a million fans in those days; even some good ones like the Orioles struggled to reach that number at times. This morning, however, we can look at the baseball history and hold our heads up high — thanks to 3 seasons of the Nationals, Washington’s RFK Stadium has a 13-year average baseball attendance of 1,043,389. Take that, Bob, wherever you are.
Inasmuch as the expansion Senators never drew a million fans, and topped 700,000 only 3 times, it’s a genuine accomplishment for an obsolete ballpark with a second-division team.
Closer Chad Cordero hit the nail on the head last week when he said that without RFK, the Expos would’ve never moved to Washington. As a D.C. native, I remember well my first visit to what was then called District of Columbia Stadium. July 1, 1962, the new Senators hosted the old Senators, now the Minnesota Twins. Former local favorite Camilo Pascual shut out the home team 9-0, dropping Washington 22 games under .500 two weeks before the All-Star break.
That the Senators were chronic losers never really mattered to me. I always had a good time at the ballpark, sitting with my dad and listening to his take on the game. That first visit he remarked as we sat down, “Son, no one will ever hit a ball out of this place.” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, but it was a point worth making nonetheless.
My dad and I went to dozens of games on East Capitol Street over the years. After one Sunday game we sat in traffic leaving the parking lot next to a limousine. The window rolled down and there was Hubert Humphrey, the Vice-President of the United States. He got my attention and asked me if I’d enjoyed the game. It was a short conversation, but made for interesting lunchtime discussion at school the next day.
My memories of RFK Stadium all revolve around family. My father was the greatest person I ever knew in my life, and much of what I know about the game came from him. That I’ve been able to duplicate those moments with my daughters, thanks to RFK and the Nationals, has meant more than I can possibly describe. I welcome the new Nationals Park, but those RFK flashbacks will be with me the rest of my life.
Hear Phil Wood Saturdays at 10 a.m. on SportsTalk 980 AM and weekly on Comcast SportsNet’s WPL through the World Series.
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:33 PM MST on Sun., Apr. 27, 2008 re: "‘The 21st Century Ripken’"
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2:00 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
re: "Don’t panic yet"
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10:34 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
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10:18 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 22, 2008
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12:59 PM MST on Thu., Dec. 13, 2007
re: "New park feels like home already"
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12:20 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 3, 2007
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10:02 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 2, 2007
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5:12 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 11, 2007
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8:47 AM MST on Wed., Jun. 27, 2007
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5:52 PM MST on Wed., May. 30, 2007
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1:07 PM MST on Wed., May. 2, 2007
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Examiner Reader said:
There are many Nationals fans who are still patient with the team. I remember how Edward Bennett Williams as well as Peter Angelos tried---and failed---to build a winner with the Orioles by buying free agents. But my biggest nightmare is that once Zimmerman's contract runs out, he will sign a lucrative deal with another club because (a) the Lerners are unwilling to pay the money to keep him when they have the chance, (b) Zimmerman has no faith that the franchise will become a playoff contender anytime in his career, or (c) all of the above. Maybe the Lerners are smart by forcing Zimmerman to prove his worth this year, but if he has a breakout year and then flies the coop like Alfonso Soriano, fans' faith in The Plan will vanish like the wind. Edward J. Cunningham Rockville, MD
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Examiner Reader said:
Gee, Phil, thanks. I'm glad you reminded us that we're all raving idiots and that you have been appointed by MENSA to set us straight. "It’s perfectly plain that the issue is offense." I'm glad we have an "expert" like you to tell us this. Hm. All along, I thought the problem was that Nationals Park doesn't have enough cupholders!!!
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Examiner reader said:
Phil, is it ok for fans who call in to your radio show to comment on the Nats' play? Or are they also ignorant folks who know nothing about facts or logic?
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Examiner reader said:
What an arrogant, condescending column this is. Fans shouldn't comment about and criticize the team because they don't know enough about baseball? Fans don't know what's going on in the dugout or in the clubhouse? Well why don't you tell us then, Phil, and disabuse us of our shallow, uninformed nonsense. And most fans agree that Lenny Harris did a terrific job last year? Really? Maybe it is you who is uninformed, Phil. (And anyway, who cares what the uninformed *fans* think?) Did you know that the Nats came very close in the offseason to not retaining Harris because they thought that he did not do a good job and was not ready to be a major league hitting coach?
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natsbaseball.com said:
Thanks Phil. Sounds wonderful - can't wait to see it. Being about the same age I remember attending the first baseball game at DC Stadium after experiencing Griffith for one or two seasons as a young child. It was a world of improvement over the falling down older park. After baseball returned 34 years later and about 15 years of going to Camden, RFK was, of course, kind of stark (I think is was designed by Joseph Stalin) but we all knew it was temporary and to have a home team again we would have put up with a lot worse. My only regret is the new stadium is in a location that couldn't be harder to get to for most of the area's fans. People are whining about the lack of parking - but it doesn't matter as there are no roads. Metro is bragging about being able to carry about 10,000 fans and hour. Since most of the 41,000 fans who could show up will have to go by metro - I cringe at the 4 hour trips it will take to get home. In that regard RFK had it all over the new park.
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kjack said:
Another great article Phil. Why those idiots at espn[The world wide leader in crap]and fox don't hire informed,aware, and intelligent individuals like you. To inform the general public of the things that really matter in baseball. I'll personalll never understand.
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EdDC said:
Phil, What do you think of going after Coco Crisp? He is still young and had back to back .300 seasons not long ago in Cleveland. Nats need a CF. Crisp didn't do much in BoSox pressure cooker, like Wily Mo Pena. So Crisp might benefit from just relaxing, knowing the world is not on his shoulders. His contract is reasonable: Covelli Crisp of 3 years/$15.5M (2007-09), plus $8M 2010 club option As to Bowden, I like him asking for the world. He tries hard and contacts many many teams, and if one or two bite, then Nats come out ahead. This is better than just trading to make trades.
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Pope John Paul Ringo George said:
"Did you ever hear any specific player’s names that would’ve ended up here in exchange for the Fonz?" This is a poor argument. The reason the Nats never get serious offers in trade for Soriano, Dmitri, Cordero, Rauch, etc is becuase Bowden's asking price is not serious. He makes it known that you can only trade for a Nat if you're willing to be ripped off in the trade. His asking price starts so high, teams won't even attempt to negotiate with him. Then he comes back and says "hey, we never got any serious offers!" No sane, competent GM will ever trade with him on anyting above replacement level players.
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Norm said:
Trembley has got this team behind him. I like his vision. You can see it in the way this team is playing since he replaced Perlozzo. The Weaver like experience you cite nails it and is a huge bonus. It's precisely what the O's need to get to the next level. The way I see it, NONE of the other current candidates brings anything comparable to the table. With McPhail and Trembley, we are already on the right track.
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree in that the Orioles should trade for Teixeira. There will be many teams after him. The "Dallas News" has an article that Boston, Dodgers, and Tigers may be interested. We should offer Cabrera, and two other players. Texas needs a starting pitcher. In the article he says the other teams would offer a pitching prospect. At least Cabrera has pitched in the majors the last three years. The Orioles would be set for the next 8 years at first base. That would be a nice infield. Also, go get Torri Hunter next year in free agency for center field.
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Dan said:
So is MLB saying that the score of a game has no impact on strategy? As far as Jay's comment: "The rules were followed." I don't think I ever read anywhere in the MLB rule book where you can score a run while you are on defense. The apeal was not that the run should not count, but that it is not fair to the Tribe that the run was awarded 3 innings after the fact. Contrary to MLB I beleive that the score of the game is the #1 item that determines strategy. The Tribe was denied 3 innings of basing their strategy on the current situation. my thought is that the game should be continued from the point where the controversial run scored, with Baltimore leading 3 to 1. In every other instance I can recall you must apeal a decision before the next pitch. Runner leaves too early when tagging up. Appeal has to be made before next pitch. G Brett's infamouse non home run? Had to be apealed before next pitch. Same for runner missing a base. O's did not raise issue for 3 inn, but thats O
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Jay said:
The run counted, why are you crying? The rules were followed, and the Indians are tryng to get by on a technicality, shame in them...very unsportsmanlike
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