This Day In Washington Baseball History...

This(Yester)Day In Washington Baseball History...

The Continuing Attempt To Educate A Montreal Fan About DC Baseball History...

(ed. note - "This one comes, once again, courtesy of the Sunday Newark Star-Ledger Sports section feature, "This date in history", which notes that on September, 7th..."):

"1908 - Walter Johnson pitched his third consecutive shutout in four days with a 4-0, two-hit victory over the New York Highlanders."

One hundred years ago this season, Walter "Big Train" Johnson, who had signed with the Washington Senators as a 19-year old free agent a year earlier, was (14-14) as a 20-year-old with a 1.65 ERA in 30 starts and 6 relief appearance, with (including the three consecutive shutouts, the last of which is commemorated today) 6 shutouts and 23 complete games on the season. 

After defeating the New York Highlanders 3-0 on September 4, 1908, Big Train and the Sens beat the Highlanders 6-0 on September 5, and the third consecutive scoreless start for Johnson was the first game of a double-header, with Washington taking the second game of the night too for four straight against New York, though "Big Train" Johnson was actually allowed to skip the second start that day. 

The Senators finished the 1908 season 67-85, in 7th Place in the American League. As of September 8, 2008, the Washington Nationals are, 56-88, 5th in the NL East. The winningest pitcher on the '08 Senators was 29-year old Tom Hughes, (18-15, 2.21 ERA), with 24 CG, on the '08 Nationals it's Tim Redding, who's (10-8) with a 4.49 ERA and 1 CG on the season. Walter Johnson was the second winningest starter on the Senators that season, with his (14-14) record and 1.65 ERA. On DC in '08, it's John Lannan who's the second most successful, at (8-13) with a 3.88 ERA on the year, but Lannan hasn't pitched one complete game, and in fact the Nationals as a team have just two CG's, while in 1908 the Senators' staff combined for 106 complete games in 152 games...

DC vs The NL East...What Will Happen The Rest Of The Way In '08?...A Quick Look Back At '08 In The NL East...

DC vs Philadelphia - 9-6 Philly (w/ 3 G, 9/26-28 in Philadelphia)

DC vs NY Mets - 8-4 NY (w/ 6 G, 9/9-9/10 in NY & 9/15-9/18 in DC)

DC vs Florida - 10-2 FL (w/ 6 G, 9/12 -9/14 in FL, 9/23-25 in DC)

DC vs Atlanta - 12-6 DC wins!!!

The Nationals will once again decide the NL East. It all starts tomorrow night at Shea Stadium, in Flushing, Queens, NY, in the first of a quick two-game set...