A Palace in the Nation’s Capital: Griffith Stadium, Home of the Washington Senators

by Gregory H. Wolf, Mike Huber, Stew Thornley

A Palace in the Nation’s Griffith Stadium, Home of the Washington Senators revives memories and the history of Griffith Stadium through detailed summaries of more than 70 games played there, as well as insightful essays. The ballpark’s rich and storied history of Negro League baseball is included, too. Griffith Stadium was the home of the American League charter member Washington Senators from 1911 through 1960 and the identically named expansion team in 1961. Situated in the middle of a bustling residential neighborhood with tree-lined streets on what is now the site of the Howard University Hospital, Griffith Stadium was known for its cavernous dimensions, a unique outfield notch in center field with a conspicuously large tree behind the wall, cozy quarters, and something no ballpark or stadium in the US a presidential box. For more than 50 years, presidents traveled from the White House two miles northeast to Griffith Stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. This volume is a collaborative effort of dozens of members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).

316 pages, Paperback

Published February 11, 2021

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a very interesting concept. This book covers several dozen significant games that were played in Washington DC's Griffith Stadium. It covers significant games in the stadium's history (e.g., first game), significant games in team histories (e.g., World Series games, Negro League World Series games), and significant individual achievements (e.g., Joe Dimaggio hitting 3 homeruns, Mickey Mantle's legendary long home run) mixed in with additional essays. A mixed group of SABR members contributed a couple page summary of each event.
It covers a number of eras and topics - from Walter Johnson through the 2nd iteration of the Senators, the tenancy of the Homestead Grays, so it covers the range from the deadball era to the beginning of the DH era.
Using different contributors adds in different voices, but one challenge is that is enough space to give some context to the significance of the game, and limited space means that game descriptions are often stripped down and a bit dry.
An interesting history for fans historic ballparks and the history of baseball in the nation's capital.