Special Washington’s Birthday Feature: “I Cannot Tell a Lie…But I Can Sure Stretch the Truth!”

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Walter “Big Train” Johnson plus “Presidents and Baseball” Photo Gallery
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Special Washington’s Birthday Feature:

“I Cannot Tell a Lie…But I Can Sure Stretch the Truth!”

February 22 is George Washington’s birthday…and there can’t possibly be any connection to baseball history, can there??

But wait! Paul Doyle has found one!

Yes…that’s Walter “Big Train” Johnson, one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history standing on the banks of the Rappahannock river in the middle of winter. Looks like Walter’s pointing at something. Hmmm…

Read Paul’s post to find out what the great Walter Johnson and our first president, George Washington, have in common. I’ll give you a big hint: It has to do with “throwing things”! Now think back to your grade school days and try to remember what you were taught many years ago about George Washington.

I think you’ll enjoy reading Paul’s interesting post today. “Take it away, Paul!”:

Most old timers can remember when February 22 was celebrated as Washington’s birthday. Yup, imagine that, a holiday that contrary to belief was not part of any analytics algorithm that ultimately determined that it should be positioned on a Monday and renamed Presidents’ Day to maximize WAR (Weekends are Relaxing).

What’s this have to do with baseball history? As most of us “learned” in elementary school, the first President chopped down a cherry tree. He also threw a silver dollar across the Potomac when he was a child growing up. While there were no media around to verify either event, both events were probably what a more current President would label “Fake News”.

First of all, there were no silver dollars in circulation when Washington was a child and none until he was well into his 60’s. Second, most of the Potomac is about a mile across, so even the mythical Sid Finch would have had trouble accomplishing that feat.

Well, back in 1936, local historians downsized the myth to the probability that where George grew up on the banks of the Rappahannock River, he was known to throw rocks across the more achievable banks of the smaller river that measured about 300 feet across. Like the federal spending budget today, the feat grew over the years to unimaginable proportions.

So, with the mid winter doldrums needing something to warm the hearts of every countryman, locals asked a retired Walter Johnson if he could re-enact the feat. He readily agreed to the challenge. Remember, Johnson’s playing career was long over and his managing days with the Senators were likewise.

Johnson was given three silver dollars (two to practice and one “official” to see if he could match the myth. The local Fredricksburg newspaper reported that the first throw fell 5 feet short of the bank on the other side; the second one did make it across. Now, “Big Train” needed to throw the last coin over to make it official. To quote the Fredericksburg Free Lone Star, he “drew back his famous right arm and with a powerful heave let fly a silver dollar that sailed high into the air, spanned the 273 foot stream and plunked on the opposite bank”.

To illustrate that reality shows are not something that was invented by cable TV (or by another President who shall remain nameless), CBS radio broadcast the attempt on its national network on a cold Saturday afternoon.

So, there you have it. Who knows what myths about our First President are true. But a retired Hall of Famer proved on Washington’s 205th birthday that it could be done. This event has become a tradition at Ferry Farm, Washington’s boyhood home. Anyone can give it a try and, eighty two years later, it’s a given that someone will be successful in attempting this feat.

Which shatters another myth. We all continue to think that the dollar used to go further in the old days. As to the cherry tree? I think I’ll start a new myth. He made the first American baseball bat out of it and was the first draft choice of the “Nationals” back in 1792!

Paul Doyle

(posted by Gary Livacari)

Sources: New York Times; Ferry Farm website