DC BASEBALL HISTORY - FOUL at the HOF

[CALSGR8]

I wrote the following letter to George Solomon of the Wash Post.   I added smiley's here.  I'm not sure he'll respond but I'm sure some of you will!

Dear George and my fellow DC Baseball fans.

I’m sorry, I just don’t get it!  Why doesn’t MLB and others as well recognize our rich history of Baseball in Washington?  History doesn’t just belong to one team and not others, it belongs to all teams that have a SHARED HISTORY!  Why don’t the powers that be realize this fact?!  I think it was last year that a columnist in the post wrote at least 1 article about this subject and it still has me seeing RED (and not the good kind of red that the Lerner’s painted the town with last year either)!

My friend Kathe and I were in Cooperstown to see Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn get inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame (that’s another email, another time).  We went into the Hall of Fame Museum a few times because at times it was too crowded to see anything.  There is an exhibit there which has a little bigger than a locker size exhibit for each team in MLB.  In each Locker are the uniforms of the team, picture of a player, any famous memorabilia for that team and a large black card showing a little history of each team.  I was livid when I read the exhibits for Washington, Minnesota, and Texas.

Washington Nationals:
Founded: 1969
Former Nickname:  Montreal Expos 1969-2004
Home Field:  Robert F. Kennedy Stadium
Retired Uniform Numbers:  42 Jackie Robinson
                                        Currently Washington does not recognize uniform numbers retired by Montreal:  8 Gary Carter, 10 Andre Dawson, 10 Rusty Staub and 30                                      Tim Raines
World Championships:  None (the red is my editing and not the HOF)

Did you see those founded dates?  Did you see under WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS it says NONE?

Now under the Minnesota Twins.  I forgot to take a picture of the Texas one.

MINNESOTA TWINS:
Former Nicknames:
Washington Senators 1901-1960
Washington Nationals 1905-1956
Home Field:  Hubert Humphrey Metrodome
Retired Uniform Numbers:  3 Harmon Killebrew, 6 Tony Oliva, 14 Kent Hrbek, 29 Rod Carew, 34 Kirby Puckett, and 42 Jackie Robinson
World Championships:  1924, 1987 and 1991

The SENATORS ONE AND ONLY CHAMPIONSHIP IS ON THE CARD OF THE MINNESTOTA TWINS!  The former nicknames also belong to the Nationals!  Its their history too.  Just because they moved twice does NOT mean that Washington doesn’t have a Baseball history before 1969 when the current team’s past came into existence!  That World CHAMPIONSHIP belongs to Walter Johnson and Washington’s history as well as Minnesota.  There are 3 teams that share a common history as being (and 2 originating)  in WASHINGTON.  Why can’t history be portrayed that way? 

I should have checked out the Baltimore and Yankee history.  I wish I had thought of it because a one time Baltimore Orioles became the New York Highlanders who became the NY Yankees.  Don’t try to tell Baltimore that it doesn’t have a history prior to 1954!  Although I haven’t been to the Sports Legends Museum, I remember exhibits in the Babe Ruth Museum showing Baltimore Baseball History before and after the New York Highlanders were created.  Maybe I should contact SABR and have them check into this shared history topic because didn’t the Seattle Pilots become the Milwaukee Brewers?  Does Seattle’s history belong to Milwaukee?  Does the Braves History belong only to Atlanta?

On a similar note.  Don’t try to tell a Baltimore Ravens fan that the Colts are a part of Indianapolis history and NOT Baltimore!  Tell a Cleveland Browns fan that the only history its team has belongs to the new one which took the place of the one that moved to Baltimore?!!  You’ll get kicked in the teeth!

In Walden’s Bookstore near the counter, they have playing cards featuring either baseball players or football players on the cards by city; named, for example NY Heroes (featuring Yankee players).  They only have Washington Heroes for the REDSKINS.  That’s fine well and good but I called the attention to the clerk (some kid much younger than I am), that Washington too has its baseball heroes and why doesn’t’ the card company make cards for them?  His response?  Because Washington’s Baseball Team has only been around for 2 years!  I said, I don’t think so!  We had Walter Johnson, and Josh Gibson, and Harmon Killebrew and Roy Sievers and Ted Williams managed our team!  His response was NOT this team.  That team moved someplace else.  That’s just one example of how young people of today will be acquainted with Washington DC baseball. 

Just as I walked away in disgust there, I’m just as disgusted now.  In the mildest language I can muster is THIS REALLY REALLY REALLY STINKS!  ITS UNFAIR AND ITS JUST NOT RIGHT!   

I may post this in another forum.  I may just write the Hall of Fame.  Who’s with me?!

Sincerely,

Carol Allen

[nospinzone1]

too long for Solomon's attention span. he probably will resppond but with a short less than one line answer. I know, I email him all the time and that is all i get.

[CALSGR8]

too long for Solomon's attention span. he probably will resppond but with a short less than one line answer. I know, I email him all the time and that is all i get.

Yeah I know.  He'll read it, he just responds with short sentences.  I've written him before too.

What do you think about our history?

[soxfan59]

Unfortunately, the history of baseball teams traditionally belong to the franchise. 

In most instances, folks who follow baseball in the towns that are vacated by teams that relocate have traditionally had a new team replace it, or a second team in the other league remain, so the sting of the team relocating doesn't remain.  I'll bet there is not too many in Boston concerned about the legacy of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain, or Connie Mack in Philadelphia, or Mel Ott in New York.  Even in places like New York and Brooklyn, where the NL teams that vacated had rich histories and a loyal fan base, there were the Yankees, and the Mets were placed there quickly to try and fill the void. 

The only major league markets that lost a team and didn't have a quick replacement were Washington and Milwaukee.  And its really only in those two markets do you see the kind of nostalgia that you express in your letter. 

I don't think you'll find the HOF or the baseball reference site on the internet or anybody else change thier ways soon.  But I can understand -- everyone's knee jerk reaction to finding out I'm a big baseball fan and I'm from Chicago is "So, you're a Cubs fan?"  NO!  There is another major league team in Chicago that has as rich, if not MORE of a rich tradition than the Cubs. 

I feel your pain.  Washington does deserve better in the remembrance of its baseball heroes.   

[CALSGR8]

Thanks for the kind words.  Actually when I meet someone from Chicago (if they are not already wearing the shirt of their favorite team), I ask them; Where?  Northside or Southside.  Depending on their answer usually will tell you which team they root for (I think).  If I don't get a reaction right away, I say "Cubs or Sox"?

Not all Chicago fans represent one team.  Neither do NY, or Bay area.

[Roarin Storen]

But it is team history not state history. Do you think the Giants should be under former names for the Mets?

[ronnynat]

But it is team history not state history. Do you think the Giants should be under former names for the Mets?

I'm with you on this. The only way Nationals share history w/ the Senators is by illegal injection by our media. Nationals are either starting a new franchise here or they're part of Montreal's.

If the HOF recognized areas, I'd understand and agree with this argument.

[OldChelsea]

The only major league markets that lost a team and didn't have a quick replacement were Washington and Milwaukee.  And its really only in those two markets do you see the kind of nostalgia that you express in your letter.[...]

Actually Milwaukee went without MLB for just four seasons after the Braves blew town (1966-69) - the Brewers (ex-Seattle Pilots) arrived in 1970. It is true, though, that the Braves' 13 seasons in Milwaukee were pretty memorable - not once did they finish under .500 during that span, and they also won pennants in 1957 and 1958 (and a Series in the first of those two).

[soxfan59]

Actually Milwaukee went without MLB for just four seasons after the Braves blew town (1966-69) - the Brewers (ex-Seattle Pilots) arrived in 1970. It is true, though, that the Braves' 13 seasons in Milwaukee were pretty memorable - not once did they finish under .500 during that span, and they also won pennants in 1957 and 1958 (and a Series in the first of those two).

But if you look at the history of franchise shifts, Milwaukee is the only town (besides Washington) left bereft of baseball for any time period at all. 

Boston lost the Braves, still had the Red Sox.  This was true of the Philadelphia A's (Phillies), the St. Louis Browns (Cardinals),  and the Dodgers and Giants (the Yankees).  The other franchise moves had replacement teams immediately -- the original Senators moved after the 1960 season, replaced by the new Senators in 1961;  the A's vacated Kansas City after 1967 with a promise of an expansion team, and was vacant only one year, and had a new team in 1969. 

If forgot Seattle in my original thoughts -- The Pilots played only a year in 1969 and moved to Milwaukee; Seattle didn't get another team until 1977 (a seven year vacuum).  Does it hurt less when you only had a team for a year? 

And now, Montreal has no future hope of another MLB franchise. 

So, I guess I add Seattle to the mix of Milwaukee and Washington.  With Milwaukee, it was only 4 years, but up until the Pilots declared BK and were relocated to Milwaukee after spring training had already started (indeed, the team completed all of Spring training as the Pilots, and only became the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a court settlement at the last minute.  There was a statement made in jest that the pilot of the plane flying the team north needed to be told whether to turn right or left at Salt Lake City), there was no hope that Milwaukee would ever get another franchise.  Indeed, the speculation was the White Sox were being sent there (this also became the speculation for Seattle -- the White Sox get no respect).  I think in all three instances, Seattle, Milwaukee, and Washington, there was no realistic hope of a new team.  This creates a different atmosphere -- a "city" concept, rather than loyalty to the franchise.  "Get us a team -- any team!"  Because of this, I have a sense of understanding for how Carol feels.