posted
The poor Expos. The one and only "Year of the Expo" was killed by the strike. No one thought it was possible, but even fewer fans started coming after that.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I think the old team actually was called the Washington Senators... I'll have to check that though.
Yep, Waltor Johnson, one of the fastest pitchers ever played for them back in the early 1910's, they didn't have radar back then obviously so they have no idea how fast he really was. But there are stories told of batters standing at the plate seeing him wind up, seeing him finish his throw... and never seeing the ball. They're probably exagerated of course, but they're still cool!
Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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*cough* To be honest, I would guess that he never breached 80 mph. Guys today train far, faar better than anyone knew how to do, and can only throw maybe a fifth at most of the number of innings as the old pitchers because of the incredible strain on the arm throwing that fast causes. The big train was possibly the fastest pitcher ever if you compare pitchers to their contemporaary, but I would wager good money that almost any non-knucklballers would blow him away.
posted
Yep, they used to be the Senators, but the Texas Rangers (the old Senators moved to Texas 33 years ago and were renamed the Rangers) still retain rights to the name. So they have to come up with something new.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
You know what was funny? Some people here in Vegas actually thought we had a shot at getting the Expos. It was the subject of many newspaper articles and many hours of sports talk radio. Most commentators were rational enough to understand just how stupid the idea was, but a surprising number of them thought it was the best idea ever.
One plan that was proposed called for a new Major League stadium to be built just behind the Strip, with access that practically forced attendees to walk through one of several different casinos to get to and from the games. Brilliant! Not.
Of course, one of the favorite side topics was whether the local sports books would be allowed to take bets on the games.
Posts: 1652 | Registered: Aug 2003
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10) The Washington Monuments--a solid team, but a bit phallic for my taste.
9) The Washington Alternating Currents--That way the Washington AC's would be playing in Washington DC and short circuit the whole league.
8) The Washington Apples--I know, its sounds a bit fruity, and there might by copyright problems but it would inspire a plucky team.
7) The Washington Georges--but the team would have to consist of all of George Foreman's kids.
6) The Washington Insiders--but it would be tough to get a good outfielder.
5) The Washington Swamp Rats (DC Used to be a swamp literally, not just figureatively)--or is that the same as calling them Legislators?
4) The Washington States, and copyright the name so those fools north of Oregon have to pick something else, and make it @#$@#$@ original this time.
3) The Washington Republicans--The play the same way their fathers played, but buy the best players. And no @#$@#$@ switch hitters allowed.
2) The Washington Democrats--The team loses often, is under financed, but all the people who claim to be poor get in free. And now politically incorrect language is tolerated!
1) The Washington Lobbyists--They always win!
They don't play fair. They don't play by the rules. But hey, a few hundred thou under the table to the other team or the umps, and they win every time.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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(Heh; Walter Johnson... we even have a high school here in the county named after him.)
Something I heard on WTOP (where they've been going on about this for the past three years at least) this morning is that DC is trying against a capitol-related name as part of the taxation w/o representation protest.
posted
What's the matter, Elizabeth, are you one of the dozen or so Montreal Expos fans left?
As long as we keep the Toronto Blue Jays as our token international team, we can maintain the fiction that our "World Series" determines the world champions of baseball.
Posts: 3742 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Ron, I am not the Expos fan, but it is just too strange that a Montreal team could be a US team. What I am is a Canadiens fan, so I think I must be projecting my Canadiens-love onto the Expos, imagining a world where there is a team called the Washington Canadiens.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
"*cough* To be honest, I would guess that he never breached 80 mph."
This is, erm, simply put, not true.
Read Neyer and James's History of Pitching. It deals with this subject. There is really no reason to believe the pitchers of old didn't throw in the low 90's. That seems to be what people can do, naturally, if they throw really hard over a long period of time.
As far as not being able to throw as many innings because of the strain on the arm, this is also a myth. Pitchers, for the most part, used to pretty much stop being able to pitch after 2-3 years pitching the number of innings they did. As well, pitch counts were generally lower due to the nature of the game, so pitchers may have thrown more innings by about 50% in a given year, but the number of actual pitches was only about 20% higher. THere's a lot that goes into this, but... the statement isn't really true.
Posts: 4112 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Well, none of you would go see the games! Not our fault...
What are you talking about. They were expecting to fill a full 49% of the stadium for the final game. (that game was played already, right? Anyone know the actual attendance?)
Posts: 609 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
It was played. I think I still have the newspaper about it at home, I'll tell you if they say anything about the attendance later today.
Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
The article said that other bidders for the team included Monterrey, Mexico. Now that would have been cool. We have no idea what a "national pasttime" can be compared to Mexican baseball fans. But I suppose the money alwyas wins, don't it?
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
IF Texas does not relent and allow the Washington team to be called the Senators, I hope they become the Washington Grays, in honor of the Negro League team that played many of its games in Washington.
Posts: 4112 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
If we want to give a nod to the French Canadian/Montreal heritage, the new team could be called the Washington Poutiens.
Posts: 3742 | Registered: Dec 2001
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