“Team of Destiny Walter Johnson, Clark Griffith, Bucky Harris and the 1924 Washington Senators”
The author:
Gary Sarnoff
The publishing info:
Rowman and Littlefield;
250 pages; $38
Released Feb. 10, 2024
The links:
The publishers website; at Bookshop.org; at Powells.com; at Vromans.com; at {pages a bookstore}; at BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com
The review in 90 feet or less
After the 2019 Washington Nationals stupidly walked into a championship, a quick-print book about that team came out by the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty called “Buzz Saw: The Improbable Story of How the Washington Nationals Won the World Series.”
That post season journey included witnessing the Nats dissemble the 106-win Dodgers, going the distance in a best-of-five National League Divisional Series. The last win was executed at Dodger Stadium. There was heck to pay.
That NL East wild-card team had the “Baby Shark” power. And Anthony Rendon’s idiotic stats (34 HRs, 126 RBIs, 117 runs, .319 average). And rookie Juan Soto’s muscle. And Trea Turner’s speed. And veteran Howie Kendrick’s grand-slam gumption. And veteran Kurt Suzkuki’s intelligence. And the arms of Stephen Stasburg and Max Scherzer and do-nothing Sean Doolittle. And a year removed from Bryce Harper.
“You have a great year, and you can run into a buzz saw,” Strasburg told Dougherty after the team advanced to the World Series. “Maybe this year we’re the buzz saw.”
These weren’t your recycled Montreal Expo who started 19-31 and ended up with the District’s first title in 95 years. We enjoyed the book as something that needed to be reassembled for our disbelief.
That book also begat “You Gotta Have Heart: Washington Baseball from Walter Johnson to the 2019 World Series Champion,” by Frederic J. Frommer, reminding those who are confused about the history of the city’s major league baseball just what has and hasn’t happened. And could have happened.
Because, in a way, even if we watch today’s Washington Nationals play at the Dodger Stadium, we’re still a bit history challenged.
At our last count, 17 major professional baseball franchises have called Washington D.C. their home. Many shared the same nickname. Or switched midway.
The place better known for housing the Bill of Rights may have had the right idea, but often a wrong outcome.
Let’s work our way back in time:
Continue reading “Day 20 of 2024 baseball books: D.C.’s follies, a century later”
Tom Hoffarth's The Drill: More Farther Off the Wall 