About Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium, named for Senators owner Clark Griffith, was the home of Washington baseball for 50 years — a span that encompassed the greatest pitcher in American League history and some of baseball's most storied seasons. Walter Johnson, widely regarded as the hardest thrower who ever lived, compiled nearly all of his 417 wins and 3,509 strikeouts on this mound, making Griffith Stadium as much a monument to his genius as any structure in the sport.
The stadium had a peculiar shape dictated by the stubbornness of five homeowners near the outfield who refused to sell their properties. The resulting asymmetrical dimensions gave Griffith Stadium a quirky, human character — the ballpark literally bent around the lives of ordinary citizens. Presidents from William Howard Taft onward threw out Opening Day first pitches here, establishing a tradition that continues to this day at Nationals Park.
The Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues shared Griffith Stadium and played to packed houses of Black Washington fans. Josh Gibson, the catcher known as the "Black Babe Ruth," reportedly hit a ball so far here that it was never officially measured but estimated at 580 feet. Griffith Stadium was demolished in 1965 and replaced by Howard University Hospital — a fitting neighbor for what had been a neighborhood institution.
Fun facts
- Walter Johnson won 417 games as a Senator — most by any pitcher at a single home park in history.
- Five homeowners refused to sell their properties, giving the stadium its famously irregular shape.
- Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays reportedly hit a ball estimated at 580 feet — the longest in stadium history.
- Ten U.S. Presidents threw out Opening Day first pitches here, establishing the presidential tradition.
- Demolished in 1965; the site is now Howard University Hospital.
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