It’s a bright weekend for Washington baseball fans new and old. From September 13 to 15, the Nationals will have a three-day-long 1924 Championship Centennial Weekend at home games against the Miami Marlins. The occasion? This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the 1924 World Series, when the Washington Senators claimed the city’s first World Series victory.
The History
If you need a little refresher on DC baseball history, the team in question was around from 1901 to 1960 and was officially named the Nationals until 1956, although everyone called them the Senators. The franchise moved to Minnesota in 1960, and another team (also the Senators) took over in 1961 until it left for Arlington, Texas, in 1971. The Nationals we know today formed in 2005.
Back in the 1920s, Washington had an unfavorable reputation when it came to America’s pastime, according to the Society for American Baseball Research. A common quip was that the city was “First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.”
Still, the team — featuring Hall of Famers left fielder Goose Goslin, manager Bucky Harris, pitcher Walter Johnson, and pitcher Sam Rice — won 92 games over the course of the 1924 season, putting them first in the American League. They pulled out an unexpected 4-3 win in a 12-inning game against the New York Giants, earning Washington its first World Series championship.
It remained the only win in the city’s history until the Nationals won in 2019.
The Celebration
To mark the occasion’s centennial anniversary, the Nationals are pulling out all the stops with the 1924 Championship Centennial Weekend. Fans at the games from September 13 to 15 will experience special giveaways, fireworks displays, and themed activities in Nationals Park.
September 13
On Friday night, fans can expect a fireworks show with music from 1924 and flashbacks to the same year on the scoreboard throughout the game. The Presidents Race will have a 1924 theme.
September 14
On Saturday, 20,000 fans will receive a 1924 Championship bobblehead depicting a player with a copy of The Washington Post. The stadium will have caricaturists, face painters, and balloon twisters, plus championship-themed photo ops. There will be 1924 flashbacks on the scoreboard and a 1924-themed Presidents Race.
September 15
On Sunday, there will be 1924 flashbacks on the scoreboard and a 1924-themed Presidents Race. Plus, 20,000 fans will receive a free 1924 Championship pennant.
Feature image courtesy the Washington Nationals Baseball Club
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