DC Stadium was like a palace when it opened. Find pictures of Griffith Stadium, capacity 25,000 for baseball, including the bleachers. And you would really bleach during a day game in Washington. DC/RFK Stadium was an all-seater. No bleachers, no splinters, and short dimensions. Yes, it was laughable when Austin <XXXXXX> complained that the fences were too far, and when visiting players moaned that they couldn't "go yard" and "jack one" and all the other lame slang that ESPN uses for a home run.
I remember sitting in the PEPCO box, which was in that amazing place, the mezzanine. Ushers came by to take hotdog orders....what luxury!!
In my first game at DC Stadium, I remember Don Lock running down everything in CF.
First, and only, Redskin game there was a disgusting loss to the Cardinals. Otto Graham was angry with Sonny, so the Skins started Dick Shiner, local hero from U of Maryland. Didn't help or hinder, since Jonny Roland and John David Crow ran throw holes that even we could see from the upper deck. Giant.
Later saw a couple of DC United games, including the second year MLS championship, when they broke the stadium's attendance record. The place was loud.
Saw a couple of games in '06 and took my daughter to a game in '07, in the cheap seats almost directly behind home plate. Pointed out the remaining Hondo-seats, and she was amazed that anyone could hit the ball up there. By that time, it was obvious that RFK had been neglected. Had been turned into a dump.
Underneath it, DC/RFK was the best of the dual-purpose parks built in the '60s and '70s. One of two with a grass field. The architect purposely shaped the upper deck to put extra seats around the 50 yard line, which accounts for the curves in the roof. That roof was intended to provide shade all around -- the place really wanted to host baseball as well as the Redskins. No bleachers, less direct sun for summer-time day games. (For comparison, remember Shea, which was built at the same time, and intended for both the Mets and the Jets.).
Still, we did not have baseball at DC/RFK long enough to love it the way fans loved the cigar smoke and Bond Bread factory smell of Griffith, but a good place.
(Of course, the new park is delightful!)