Yesterday was Opening Day for the Nationals’ 2025 season, and we were there. The final score was Philadelphia 7, Washington 3. That doesn’t look very good, and it isn’t, but it was an extra-inning game, tied 3 – 3 at the end of nine innings.

We’ll come back to the Nats in a minute. But first……let us return to those exciting times of yesteryear. (Did I get that right?)

I went to my first major league game during the summer of 1950, 75 years ago. I was seven, and I went with my Aunt Millie and my Uncle Jules.

(Digression: Aunt Millie was my father’s sister, Mildred. My mother was also a Mildred. No one ever called my mother Millie. Make of that what you wish.)

The game, of course, was at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, and the Cardinals were playing the Chicago Cubs. I have mentioned before that, due to the influence of my grandfather, I considered myself a St. Louis Browns fan, but most of St. Louis followed the Cardinals, and I assume that included Millie and Jules.

Like most seven year olds, I brought my baseball mitt with me, determined to come home with a foul ball. Imagine my disappointment when I found myself sitting behind home plate, separated from any possible foul ball by a screen. I had never considered that possibility.

The final score was Chicago 6, St. Louis 1. Except for yesterday’s game, that is the only score I remember after attending games for 75 years.

(Okay, let’s dig into that. I distinctly remember the score. I have always remembered it. There is only one problem. For some reason, none of the baseball statistics books, and there are many, remember any game during that period where the Cubs beat the Cardinals 6 to 1, except for a game in Chicago. That proves you can’t rely on the statistics books.)

Yesterday’s game against the Phillies showed two pitchers giving remarkable performances. MacKenzie Gore of the Nats (who struck out 13 in six innings) and Zach Wheeler of the Phillies. But the Phillies have something that the Nats don’t have – Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. And, as you know, all three are former Nats.

Last year, the Phillies won about 25 more games than the Nats. I don’t have much confidence that this year will be any different. The Nats added three veteran starting players to the club this year (Lowe, DeJong, and Bell). These three are not Harper, Turner and Schwarber, and I do not see them helping the club win games. (I should add that Josh Bell, who was with the club previously, seems to be an extraordinary individual  and a good, but not extraordinary ball player. He is our designated hitter, but his average doesn’t really warrant that position, and I guess his defensive play doesn’t give him an edge at first base.)

I know that I know nothing, but for those readers who follow the Nats, I would have liked to have come out of Spring Training differently. I would like to have seen Stone Garrett make the team. We would have had 5 outfielders – Crews, Wood, Young, Call and Garrett. I would rotate them (except for Young) and (except for Young) would have used one of them in each game as designated hitter, still holding one to go to the outfield if necessary.

I also would have used Jose Tena as our starting third baseman, and kept Nasim Nunez as an infield utility player. Should Bell or Lowe be the first baseman? I am not sure. As to DeJong? Sorry, just no room.

Okay, it is a long season, and maybe Wood will be another Harper, etc. We shall have to wait and see.

Meanwhile…..I will skip the Crackerjacks.