Griffith Stadium – Archived Innings

This day in baseball: Walter Johnson and Lefty Williams go 18 innings

May 15, 2026

On May 15, 1918, the Washington Senators defeated the Chicago White Sox, 1–0, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. in an undeniably impressive pitching duel. Despite recording eighteen innings, the contest only lasted 2 hours and 47 minutes as Walter Johnson and Lefty Williams both went the distance in this game. Washington won the game in the bottom of the 18th, when Eddie Ainsworth scored the winning run on a wild pitch.

Walter Johnson, 1910 (Charles Conlon/public domain)

This day in baseball: Johnson wins Opening Day

April 13, 2024

On April 13, 1926, 38-year-old Walter Johnson struck out a dozen A’s batters on Opening Day. Johnson’s performance led the Senators to a 1-0 victory in 15 innings over Philadelphia’s Eddie Rommel at Griffith Stadium in Washington.

walter johnson

This day in baseball: Carl Weilman strikes out 6 times

July 25, 2023

On July 25, 1913, Carl Weilman became the first player ever recorded to strike out six times in a single game. The St. Louis Browns’ 23-year-old lefty entered the game in relief with one out in the first inning, pitching the rest of the contest. Weilman accomplished the dubious strikeout feat over the course of 15 innings at Griffith Stadium against the Senators, and the game ended in an 8-8 tie.

This day in baseball: First Sunday game in D.C.

May 19, 2022

The first Sunday baseball game ever played in the nation’s capital took place on May 19, 1918, five days after Congress voted in favor of lifting the ban in Washington, D.C. The Washington Senators defeated the Cleveland Indians, 1-0, in twelve innings in front of 15,352 fans at Griffith Stadium.

Griffith Stadium between 1909 and 1932 (Library of Congress)

This day in baseball: Harding’s first pitch

April 13, 2021

President Warren G. Harding threw out the ceremonial first pitch before a Washington Senators game held on April 13, 1921, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. Washington ended up losing to the Red Sox, 6-3, making this the first time in six Opening Days contests the Senators have lost with the President of the United States throwing out the first pitch.

Warren Harding first pitch - LoC — Library of Congress

This day in baseball: Gehrig loses a home run

April 26, 2019

On April 26, 1931, with Lyn Lary as the runner on first base and two out in the inning, Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig hit a home run at Griffith Stadium. The homer cleared the centerfield fence, but then bounced back into the hands of Senators centerfielder Harry Rice. Lary, thinking the ball had been caught, returned to the dugout without ever crossing home plate. Gehrig, who had been running the bases with his head down, did not notice what happened and ended up getting called out for passing a runner on the base paths.

The incident ended up costing Gehrig the home run crown, as he and Babe Ruth finished the season tied with 46 homers a piece.

lou_gehrig

This day in baseball: Stealing the inning

June 26, 2018

Nationals catcher Eddie Ainsmith stole three bases in one inning on June 26, 1913 in a game against the Philadelphia Athletics at Griffith Stadium in Washington. After safely reaching base on a single in the bottom of the ninth, Ainsmith proceeded to steal second, third, and home. Unfortunately, Ainsmith’s efforts didn’t make much of a difference for his team as the A’s dominated the Nats, 10-3.

Archived Innings

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