i grew up rooting for the washington senators (version 2 : the expansion team that moved to texas and featured frank howard , mike epstein, eddie brinkman, an obscure rightfielder named brant alyea, memorable because he once threw a ball to my friend steve porter in the stands during batting practice).

my dad told me stories about having seen the homestead grays play at griffith stadium on fla ave (near where he grew up) when he was a kid, and said josh gibson hit the longest home run he ever saw.

and my dad told me stories that his dad told him about walter johnson , the only hope the nats ever had.

 

anyway, i was 13 when the senators moved, and i pretty quickly switched allegiances to the orioles. i lived within walking distance of memorial stadium for a couple of years, including 1983, when they won the world series behind eddie, cal, and a great pitching staff (flanagan, boddicker, dennis martinez etc). i went to a slew of games. i figured my switch was permanent, which is why i was caught a bit unawares by my response to the return of the nats: i like choked up and stuff. and i can already tell i'm back. it would truly be weird to see them play in those caps at rfk stadium. and the source of real pride is still there: they still suck.