September 30. 1971

In front of 14,460 fans the Washington Senators outscored the New York Yankees 7-5 and lose the final game the team will play at RFK stadium. The Yankees win this game by forfeit as Senators' fans show Robert Short how they really feel about his decision to move the team to Texas. The game was called in the top of the ninth inning as fans ran onto the field and grabbed whatever they could get their hands on.

I was not at this game but I do remember it very clearly as it was the worst day in D.C. baseball history for many Senators fans. If you would like to read more about this sad day in Washington D.C baseball history, I recommend that you read the article that Washington Post published the next day titled Rowdy Fans Hand Senators Final Loss .

It was 36-years later on

September 23, 2007, during the Washington Nationals last game at RFK stadium some fans in upper deck out in left-field made it very clear that some feelings do not fade over time. During the middle of the game they unfurled three banners that read SHORT STILL STINKS. 

The crowd at the ballpark showed their approval with a lot of cheering. I remember I tapped my father on his shoulder and pointed out the banners to him. We both smiled and started to cheer. I heard the security guards at the stadium were not smiling and they showed the fans they did not approve of the banners as they pulled them up very quickly. The Nats went on to win the game over the Phillies 5-3 in front of 40,519 fans.

      

A few weeks ago I visited Gary Cieradkowski’s website http://infinitecardset.blogspot.com for the first time. I was extremely impressed with Gary’s baseball stories and his custom baseball cards. I could tell right away Gary and I had something in common. We both like to share stories about ball players most people have forgotten.

I sent Gary an e-mail and told him about a story I just wrote for MASNsports.com, titled Bullet Ben's cup of coffee with the Washington Senators. After Gary read the story he contacted me to tell me he really enjoyed the story. Gary also wanted to know if I would share Bullet Ben’s story with his readers and he would create a custom baseball card of Bullet Ben. It didn’t take me long to reply back to Gary and tell him yes, I would like to share the story with your readers...

As I enjoy saying the rest is history. I hope you will enjoy the story. Please click here to read this wonderful baseball story.

      

1924 Pennant Race - The Senators lead Yanks by One game

September 26 - Boston, MA

The Boston Red Sox beat the first place Washington Senators 2-1 in front of 12,000 spectators at Fenway Park. The Senators' loss and the Yankees' 7-1 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics left the Senators with only a one game lead over the Yankees with three games remaining in the season.

During the loss to the Red Sox, two of the Senators' players had their streaks come to an end. Walter Johnson who gave up two runs in seven innings had his 13-game winning streak end and Sam Rice's 31-game hitting streak came to an end when he went 0 for 4 at the plate.

The Senators Win guarantees team Winning Season

September 26, 1969 - Washington D.C.

The Washington Senators' extended their winning streak to four games when they beat the Cleveland Indians 4-1 in front of 6,772 spectators at RFK stadium. The Senators' right-fielder Lee Maye produced all of the runs the Senators needed when he hit a grand slam in the fifth inning. The Senators' starter Joe Coleman pitched the entire game and won his 11th game of the season.

The Senators' victory was the teams 82nd of the season and guaranteed the team "expansion Senators" their first ever winning record. The team will go on to post a 86-76 record for the season and finish in fourth place, 23 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League's east division.

The 1969 season was the first time Washington had a winning record in baseball since the 1952 Senators went 78-76.

      

September 21, 1933

The Washington Senators’ behind the pitching of Lefty Stewart beat the St. Louis Browns 2-1 to clinch the American League Pennant. The pennant was the first for the Senators since they won the 1925 American League Pennant.

The play of the game came occurred with the Browns at bat in the top of the 9th inning. With two outs, the Browns had the tying run on base when Oscar Melillo hit a deep fly ball to left-field, Senators' outfielder Heinie Manush made a diving one-handed catch, for the third out.

In a season where the Yankees were picked to win the AL Pennant, the surprising Senators clinched the pennant with over a week left in the regular season. The New York Giants beat out the Pittsburgh Pirates by 5 games to win the National League Pennant

With the Senators leading the majors in team average (.287), hits (1,586), and triples (86) against the Giants who led the majors in team ERA (2.71), fewest hits allowed (1,280), and shutouts (23) meant you would have a classic series between a great hitting team against a great pitching team.

When it was all said and done the Giants' pitching shut down the Senators' batters and won the '33 World Series 4 games to 1.

      

On August 27, 2011, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News wrote a story titled; It appears MLB finally will pay Connie Marrero the pension he's owed.

In Mr. Madden’s story he writes the following; three weeks ago the Daily News reported that Marrero, at age 100, the oldest former major-league player, was residing in near-poverty on a $125-a-month government stipend, sharing a small two-bedroom apartment with a five other relatives in his native Havana, Cuba. Though he is nearly blind now and confined to a chair and a bed due to a recent broken hip, Marrero's mind remains sharp and he keeps up with baseball by listening to games on the radio. Initially, it was believed that Marrero, a legend in Cuba, was one of the 900 or so former players who didn't have enough service time to qualify for the baseball pension, worth approximately $10,000 annually in an agreement reached earlier this year between MLB and the Players Association.

However, since Marrero's plight has been brought to light, the powers-that-be at the Players Association are on the case and, as it turns out, Marrero, who joined the majors at age 39 in 1950 and compiled a 39-40 record with mostly lowly Washington Senators teams through 1954, was actually a fully-vested five-year player in the pension plan the entire time and conceivably would have been receiving payments for the last 38 years, after he turned 62. The only problem - he never received a dime because, after his retirement, he went home to Cuba and never came back. With the enactment of the Cuban embargo in the aftermath of the Castro revolution, it became nearly impossible to transfer money from the U.S. to Cuba and Marrero, who was apparently never told he was owed a pension, was essentially "out of sight, out of mind" all these years as far as the administrators of the pension were concerned. Nobody made any effort to review his service time and pension eligibility or figure out a way to get his money to him.

Players Association executive director Michael Weiner confirmed Friday the union is working hard and fast in determining Marrero's pension status - vowing, considering the circumstances, to get it resolved in days rather than weeks or months. Once it does, the Obama administration's announcement in January of easing of the rules for U.S. citizens to send remittances to Cuba should help in the process of getting his money to him, especially since Marrero has a son, Orestes, living in Miami.

What is not mentioned in the story is that it was Doug Gladstone who brought it to Bill Madden’s attention that Connie Marrero should not be classified as one of the pre-'80 players who will be getting payments of up to $10K per year for the next two years. Because of Doug Gladstone's involvement it looks like Connie Marrero may finally get what he deserves.

For those of you who read my stories may remember Doug Gladstone. Doug Gladstone is the author of the book A Bitter Cup of Coffee; How MLB & The Players Association Threw 874 Retirees A Curve. On June 1, 2011, I wrote a story titled; Baseball Agreement will help old Senators. In the story I wrote about Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) made a joint announcement on April 21, 2011, stating that inactive, non-vested men who played between 1947 and 1979 will receive up to $10,000 per year, depending on their length of service credit, as compensation for their contributions to the national pastime. In the story I was lucky enough to interview Mr. Gladstone.

Yesterday I contacted Doug Gladstone again, to ask him how he felt about Connie Marrero’s situation. In his message to me he says; It's not every day a visually and hearing impaired centenarian who has been clearly taken advantage of by MLB and the union is on the cusp of possibly receiving a onetime retroactive payment of more than $500,000.

I personally want to thank Doug Gladstone for all of his time in effort to help the hundreds of ex-ball players who fell into the group of inactive, non-vested men who played between 1947 and 1979 who were not receiving any type of pension from MLB. It is Doug Gladstone who is credited for spurring the league and union into action. I also want to thank Bill Madden for bringing this in justice to our attention.

      

September 2, 1952

In the second game of a double header at Griffith Stadium, Washington Senators' pitcher Mike Fornieles, a 20-year old right hander from Cuba makes his major league debut against the Philadelphia Athletics. The young Fornieles struggled to find his control in the first two innings as he gave up one hit and five walks. Even with the control problems Fornieles was able to get through the first two innings without giving up any runs.

With the Senators leading by the score of 4-0, Fornieles calmed down in the third inning and found his control for the rest of the game as he gave up only one walk and no hits for the remaining seven innings. The Washington Senators added another run and beat the Athletics 5-0 and the young Fornieles earned his first major league victory by pitching a one hit shutout.

Mike Fornieles will only appear in three more games for the Senators in 1952 and is traded to the Chicago White Sox on December 10, 1952 for Chuck Stobbs.

      

August 28, 1924 - The Washington Senators win the first game of a four game series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium by the score of 11 to 6. The Senators were led by Goose Goslin who hit for the cycle and went 4 for 5 and knocked in 6 runs during the game.

The victory put the Senators (72-54) a half game ahead of the Yankees (70-53) in the chase of the American League pennant. With a little more than month left in the season each game is critical, especially the games against the Yankees. 

The first game of the series did not lack excitement as the Yankees and Senators combined for 17 runs and 31 hits. The great Babe Ruth improved his batting average to a league leading .392 and hit his league leading 41st and 42nd home runs and knocked in his league leading 105th. 106th and 107th runs, as he powered the Yankees to a 6 to 3 lead going into the eighth inning. Goose Goslin and Sam Rice who went 5 for 6 at the plate led the pesky Senators to an eight run top of the eighth inning and gave the Senators an 11 to 6 lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Senators star relief pitcher Firpo Marberry gives up one hit and strike outs three as he registers his 10th save of the season. The Senators' pitcher Allen Russell gets the win as he improves his record to 4-1 and the Yankees' pitcher Milt Gaston (5-3) gets the loss.

Quick Facts - Goose Goslin

~Goose Goslin becomes the first player to hit for the cycle at Yankee Stadium.

~Goose Goslin will prevent Babe Ruth from winning the Triple Crown as Goslin leads the league in RBI's with 129.

~Goose Goslin hit more home runs (32) in Yankee Stadium than any other visiting hitters. *Goslin only hit 38 career home runs at Griffith Stadium. The great Babe Ruth only hit 34 home runs at Griffith Stadium.

Quick Facts - 1924 Washington Senators

~The Senators will go on to win this series three games to one and lead the Yankees by one and half games.

~The Senators will never give up the lead for the rest of the '24 season as they beat the Yankees by two games to win the '24 American League Pennant.

~The Senators will win the '24 World Series by beating the New York Giants 4 games to 3.

      

Like most baseball fans around the D.C. area I rooted for the Baltimore Orioles from the mid 70's to 2004. To remember Mike Flanagan I am going to share with you stories from media and blog sites around the Baltimore and Washington area.

Longtime Oriole Flanagan dead at 59

By Jon Star and Jordan Schelling / MLB.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- Over his 15 seasons with the Orioles, lefty Mike Flanagan was a fan favorite and one of the best starting pitchers in club history. But it was his impact on the organization off the field that made the news of his death Wednesday so hard to take.

"I always marveled at the way he treated everybody regardless of their background," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Whether it was a guy that never played in the big leagues or whatever. The Orioles have lost a real source of wisdom. It's just hard to imagine not getting to see him now and then."

Baltimore, Md police responded to a 911 call placed at 4:26 p.m. ET Wednesday afternoon after a body was found on the property of Flanagan, the former Orioles pitcher, broadcaster and front-office executive. That body was later identified as the former Oriole, the Baltimore Sun originally reported. Read more by clicking here.

Mike Flanagan Was a special person and special Oriole

By Steve Melewski - MASN

The Orioles family is devastated tonight by the news of the death of Mike Flanagan.

I have known Mike many years and am so blessed that he considered me a friend. He listened to radio shows that I hosted on WBAL and this year on 105.7 FM in Baltimore. He often talked about that with me and said he would listen on his drive home.

He could not have been more supportive of me and anything I did around the club. I don't know if I've ever met anyone who loved being an Oriole and was more proud to be an Oriole than Mike.

He gave his all for this organization in many roles over many years.

I am so sad for his family and his extended Orioles family. Hearts are broken all over Baltimore tonight as this man touched so many in so many special ways. Read more by clicking here.

When You Fall in Love with Baseball

By Dave Nichols - Nats News Network

I was 12 years old when Mike Flanagan won the Cy Young and took the Baltimore Orioles to the World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979.  I was, to put it bluntly, devastated when the Pirates came back from being down three games to one to defeat my Orioles.  The thought that the Orioles, as good and strong a team as they were, could even possibly lose never entered that 12-year old's mind.

      

August 21, 1908

To settle a bet between two gentlemen, Washington Senators catcher Charles "Gabby" Street agreed to try to catch a baseball dropped from the Washington Monument, attempting to replicate the feat achieved by Chicago Colts catcher Pops Schriver on August 24, 1894.

On the morning of August 21, 1908 Gabby set up a platform under the monument and got ready for the first ball to be dropped. I do not know how many chances they agreed to give Gabby, but I do know he was not able to catch the first 12 balls that were dropped from 550 feet above his head. He caught it on the 13th try.

Overall it was a very productive day for Gabby, who received $500 for the catch and went on to catch that afternoon as Walter "Big Train" Johnson and the Senators beat the Detroit Tigers, 3-1.

On August 24, 1910, Billy Sullivan of the Chicago White Sox duplicated the Monument catch. Later that day, the Senators beat the White Sox, 3-2.

      

For the past couple of weeks I've been invited to be part of MASNsports.com's season-long initiative to welcome guest bloggers and allow them to post stories to MASN's Nats Buzz site.

My first story was titled: You never know what will happen at a game.

Like most Washington Nationals fans, I also get a little frustrated when the Nats struggle to win ballgames. I actually have friends that don't quite understand why I keep renewing my season tickets year after year. When they ask me why I keep doing it, I answer quickly: I do it because you never know when you may witness a little bit of D.C. baseball history. Click here to read the rest of the story at MASN.

My second story was posted last week and is titled: Can Morse stay in "Beast Mode" long enough to win batting title?

The Washington Nationals' first baseman Michael Morse, is putting up some offensive numbers Washington baseball fans haven't seen in nearly a half century. The 29-year-old Morse has a legitimate shot at winning the 2011 National League batting title. Click here to read the rest of the story at MASN.

My third story was posted this morning and it is titled: Bullet Ben's cup of coffee with the Washington Senators

What makes this story so different than any of my other stories is the way I learned about Benson. It happened a little less than two years ago when I received an e-mail from a person who wrote the following message to me:

"Mark, I have spent the last 20 years of my life trying to find more information out about my grandfather's career. He played with the Senators in 1934; he got a call up in August of that year, and pitched in two games. His name is Allen "Bullet Ben" Benson. Do you have any info on this subject??" Click here to read the rest of the story at MASN.