July 21, 2009

Ballpark Roadtrip: Nationals Park

The park's name echoes the original name of the early-1900s ballpark used by the Washington Senators/Nationals, which was called National Park until it was rebuilt and renamed Griffith Stadium.
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August 17, 2007

Ballpark Roadtrip: RFK Stadium

The stadium was opened in October 1961 as the District of Columbia Stadium (D.C. Stadium for short). The stadium was renamed in January 1969, for U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated in Los Angeles the previous June.

The announcement was made by Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall on January 18, in the last days of the Johnson Administration.

As attorney general in the early 1960s, Kennedy's Justice Department played a role in the racial integration of the Redskins. Along with Udall, Kennedy threatened to revoke the team's lease at the federally-owned stadium until it promised to sign African American players.

The expansion Washington Senators of the American League played at RFK Stadium from 1962 through 1971. They played their first season in 1961 at Griffith Stadium, now the site of the medical center for Howard University.

In its ten seasons as the Senators' home field, RFK Stadium was known as a hitters' park. Slugger Frank Howard hit a number of tape-measure home runs in his career, a few of which landed in the center field area of the upper deck.

The seats he hit with his home runs are painted white, rather than the gold of the rest of the upper deck. Left fielder Howard came to the Senators from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965.

He also hit the last home run in the park's original tenure, in the sixth inning on September 30, 1971.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, a fan riot turned a 7–5 Senators lead over the New York Yankees into a 9–0 forfeit loss, the first in the majors in 17 years. The Senators only had one season over .500, in 1969 with Hall of Famer Ted Williams at the helm, and never made the postseason.

The stadium hosted the All-Star Game twice, in 1962 (first of two) and 1969, both won by the visiting National League. President Kennedy threw out the first ball at the 1962 game.

The Senators' final game was at RFK on Thursday night, September 30, 1971, with less than 15,000 in attendance. Rains from Hurricane Ginger threatened the event, but the game proceeded.

Fan favorite Frank "Hondo" Howard hit a home run (RFK's last until 2005) in the sixth inning to spark a four-run rally to tie the game; the Senators scored two more in the eighth to go up 7–5, but the game was forfeited (9–0) to the Yankees after unruly fans stormed the field with two outs in the top of the ninth.

Subsequent efforts to bring baseball back to RFK, including an attempt to attract the San Diego Padres in 1973, and a plan to have the nearby Baltimore Orioles play eleven home games there in 1976, all failed.

The former was derailed by lease issues with the city in San Diego, and the latter was shot down by commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who wanted to bring one of four expansion teams instead.

The expansion for 1977 was later reduced to two teams, Toronto and Seattle, and the next wasn't until 1993.
Formerly the Montreal Expos, the Washington Nationals of the National League played their first three seasons (2005–2007) at the stadium, while Nationals Park was under construction.

RFK Stadium is the fourth-oldest active stadium in the majors, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium.
Unlike the Senators era, as the Nationals' home field, RFK was known as a pitchers' park.

RFK Stadium

RFK Stadium is seen from the parking lot along East Capitol St. NE. in Washington D.C. on Sept. 17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

Statue of former Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith. Griffith owned the Washington Senators from 1920 until his death in 1955. Griffith was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A few fans come to watch batting practice before the baseball game against the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept. 17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A few fans come to watch batting practice before the baseball game against the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept. 17, 2007. (Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

Beautiful day and evening for a baseball game in our nation's capital which has seen two teams leave already. So why another? (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

The visitors' bullpen is just awful. Mets bullpen coach Guy Conte walked off when he saw me coming. (Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

No objects on the ledge. Just in case someone comes, we don't want to drop anything. Look at all of the Met fans! (Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

Former Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Don Sutton does some preparations in the Nationals broadcast booth before the game against the New York Mets. For some reason he's in the Hall of Fame. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of RFK Stadium from the upper level in right field. I wonder if the Olympic Stadium in Montreal is as big as a dump as this place is? (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

The seats in the upper level are painted caution yellow and still probably the original wooden ones when the stadium was built. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of RFK Stadium from behind home plate. This was one of the highest and steepest upper levels I ever been on. I wish I brought a wide angle lens. I probably could see the Atlantic Ocean from this height. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of RFK Stadium from behind home plate. This was one of the highest and steepest upper levels I ever been on. I wish I brought a wide angle lens. I probably could see the Atlantic Ocean from this height. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of a baseball game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept. 17, 2007. You cannot sit down because of all the heads in the way. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

New York Mets starting pitcher Tom Glavine is on the mound tonight in a photo from behind home plate seats. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

New York Mets starting pitcher Tom Glavine is on the mound tonight in a photo from behind home plate seats. (Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A look down the right field line of the cookie cutter ballpark from the early 1960's. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A look down the right field line of the cookie cutter ballpark from the early 1960's. (Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

There are these little openings on the second level where cameras are placed for TV broadcasts. Here is one in left field, they have a TV deal? Good thing the Orioles suck. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

View from seats behind the home team dugout in a baseball game against the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept.17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A Mets fan is abused by the Presidents as they pose for photos with fans after completing the Presidents Race. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A Mets fan is abused by the Presidents as they pose for photos with fans after completing the Presidents Race. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

There are these little openings on the second level where cameras are placed for TV broadcasts. Here is one in left field, they have a TV deal? Good thing the Orioles suck. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of a baseball game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals from yellow wooden seats in the last row of the upper deck at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept.17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

I must be full of energy to walk around this big concrete donut or I don't ever plan to attend another event here. I still have another year of Shea. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A view of a baseball game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals from yellow wooden seats in the last row of the upper deck at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., Sept.17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



RFK Stadium

A bank of lights that barely light the field at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., during a baseball game against the New York Mets and Washington Nationals on Sept.17, 2007. (Photo: Gordon Donovan)



Ballpark: F - This team left Montreal to come to this dump? Did you hear about the two versions of the Washington Senators that left this city in 1960 and 1971? They are now the Twins and Rangers. Hopefully the new park will be much better than this stadium. Glad I made it here before they moved to the new ballpark.
Fans & Atmosphere: F - Place is a dump and an expansion team plays here. Did not meet anybody who was a Senators fan.
Just Orioles fans who hate the owner and hate driving to Baltimore. More New Yorkers who came to see the Mets play over the weekend.
Food: F - What's the signature food here? "HUH?" A hot dog is safe here, said one usher. Tried the pulled pork from the barbecue grill with sides. These must have been leftovers from when the Redskins played here.
Mascot: B - Okay, the Presidents Race was fun, ripping off Milwaukee's Sausage Race. But Screech needs some help from former Orioles fans.
Staff: C - Ushers were nice allowing me to walk around and telling to sit in certain locations to get my shots. Hot dog vendors had ankle bracelets from courts. Staff worth no uniforms, hard to tell who was an employee or on work furlough from the D.C. Public Defender's office.
Team Tradition: D - Remember that two franchises have split this town already. The Expos history was left in Montreal. The Nationals are considering themselves a new franchise and honoring DC's baseball legacy. Can't wait for Casey Cox bobblehead night. "Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League." Now last in the National League East.
Location: D - My God, what in hell did I drive through to get here? Where's the bridge back to Maryland?

Photos taken Aug. 17, 2007, using a Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR with a EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Standard Zoom Lens.