Revisiting Swampoodle Grounds

A week and a half ago I discovered Adolph Sachse’s “bird’s eye view” map of Washington, DC, circa 1883-1884, and I was able to find where my ancestors lived in Washington from the Civil War to the mid-1880s. There was something else I was interested in. Swampoodle Grounds. Swampoodle Grounds, also known as Capitol Park,Continue reading “Revisiting Swampoodle Grounds”

Starring Snoopy, a World Series T-Shirt

After writing on Tuesday about an unlicensed Monty Python/Beatles t-shirt that amused me, yesterday saw a package stuffed in my mailbox — an unlicensed Washington Nationals World Series t-shirt. After the Nationals won the World Series, my Facebook feed was filled with ads for unofficial Nats World Series merchandise. Especially unofficial t-shirts. I bought anContinue reading “Starring Snoopy, a World Series T-Shirt”

Scenes from the Nationals World Series Parade

Washington DC shut down yesterday for the Washington Nationals’ World Series parade down Constitution Avenue. One month ago I was in the hospital, in the Intensive care ward. I thought there was a real chance I was going to be mostly blind for the rest of my life. Yesterday, I was at the a WorldContinue reading “Scenes from the Nationals World Series Parade”

Finish the Fight

The World Series begins tonight — the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. On Friday, Game 3, the World Series returns to the nation’s capital for the first time in eighty-six years. Charlie Brown and Sally know what’s up. So does my collection of plush Doctors. And, despite the presence of three Doctors, none ofContinue reading “Finish the Fight”

Harrisburg at Twilight

I was in Harrisburg for a Senators baseball game. It was “Swords and Dragons Night” — Game of Thrones Night with the serial numbers filed inexpertly off — and they were playing the Bowie Baysox and Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was making a rehab start. The game ended around sunset and, with the skyContinue reading “Harrisburg at Twilight”

Funko’s Teddy Roosevelt POP! Figure

Last week, I bought Funko POP! figure — Teddy, one of the Washington Nationals’ racing presidents. This was only the second Funko POP! figure I’ve ever bought. The first time I would have written about these stylized figures would have been in August 2010, specifically for figures of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Joker,Continue reading “Funko’s Teddy Roosevelt POP! Figure”

Negro League Night in York

We will start with a ending, and end with a beginning, as Gandalf says in Rankin-Bass’ underrated yet weird animated adaptation of Return of the King. I went to a York Revolution baseball game last night and came home with a Ross Detwiler game-used jersey. The Revolution were having a Negro League Night. From theContinue reading “Negro League Night in York”

Buying an Unofficial Nationals Shirt

Every now and then on Facebook I’ll see ads from pages with names like “Monty Python Fans Only” or “Washington Nationals Fanatics” offering unlicensed, unofficial t-shirts. (I was going to screencap one as an example, but I haven’t seen any in a few weeks. They come and they go.) Typically, the ads I’ve seen, especiallyContinue reading “Buying an Unofficial Nationals Shirt”

On the Year That Was, 2017

With 2017 drawing to a close and 2018 about to begin, I decided to take a look back at 2016 and spotlight the best (or most significant) blog post of each month. John Hurt, a Reminisence – Sir John Hurt died, aged 77, of pancreatic cancer. I can’t say that what I wrote was profound,Continue reading “On the Year That Was, 2017”

Swampoodle, in Color!

Two weeks of work, off and on, and I’ve finished my colorization of Washington’s 19th-century baseball field, Swampoodle Grounds. The “heavy lifting” — the field itself, the McDowell & Sons building over the wall in right-center, a couple of buildings toward center, the sky itself — was accomplished two weeks ago in a blitz ofContinue reading “Swampoodle, in Color!”