Jaybird's Jottings

Room 15

Every April, 16 teams dance and strut into the NHL playoffs.  Ultimately, 15 of them and their fans will taste defeat.  For the Washington Capitals, the cold dish arrived way too soon, a stunning early exit off the ice that’s hard to take.

The Caps roared through the regular season like no other DC team before them.  They cruised into the playoffs with the highest hopes ever for their red-clad fans.  

But there’s always that worry in hockey, the shots on goal hitting the bar instead of finding the net, and the goalie who stands on his head when your guys swat the rebound.  That doesn’t explain everything for the Capitals, but Montreal goaltender Jarosav Halak is a name Caps fans want to forget but can't.  

The good news here in the nation’s capital?  This is a model franchise that could reach the playoffs for the next several years.  They’ve got a beloved owner who now owns the building and treats his fans good, a respected coach in Bruce Boudreau, a great set of fans in a city reaching towards its own pinnacle, and Alex Ovechkin and a talented set of players.

The bad news is sports has a way of putting its arm around you and then punching you in the gut.   The Capitals filed into that room of 15 tables way too soon and it hurts. 

Little Red Wagons

Big actually, as in the new DC streetcars, one of which will be on display next week at DC Center City.    The event is DC Streetcar Showcase, the public’s first chance to see and check out the shiny new beauty on a temporary track in Lot B of City Center DC.  The entrance is at 9th and H Streets.

Plans call for an eventual 38 mile, 8 line system.   Construction has already begun in Anacostia across from Nationals Park, and H Street.  2012 is the target for the first service.

 Did some poking around the Washington Post.   Washington has quite a history of streetcars.   After the horse-drawn kind, the electric variety came into use in the 1880s.  In 1890, DC citizens  marveled at the cars of the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway that started operations of October 17, 1888.  One of its lines started at 7^th Street and New York Avenue, which is just two blocks from where the new streetcar will be on display.

 

 

 

Sailing Vessel Arrives in Old Town

It’s 150 feet long, 126 feet high, and is causing quite a stir in Old Town Alexandria.   The Peacemaker, a three-mast sailing vessel that looks like it arrived from the 19^th Century, pulled into port today for a three week stay.   Built in Brazil of tropical hardwood, the 21-year old ship is now used by an organization to shape the character of young people.

Free tours start tomorrow. The ship is docked by Founders Park near the end of Queen Street and along Union.   You can’t miss it.

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Map and Update

This is a series of posts that will provide photographs and info for the historical plaques in Old Town.   See April 15 entry for more info.

Today I’m providing a map of the first dozen spots I’ve posted so far, plus another 11 that I have photographed but not yet written about.   

There’s still a lot of ground to cover.   This map only shows Old Town’s inner core.  Even though the concentration will drop off in the outer streets, there’s still plaques in these areas.

So right now, I’m thinking of making it to Washington Street and then head back to the riverfront where there are at least a half dozen that I can think of, and probably more.    From there, I’ll reassess if I will continue my hunt.  

In observing this map, one thing that stands out is Cameron Street has more spots than King Street.   I think I read somewhere that it was more the center street than King Street is today.   This certainly bears that out.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.  There is nothing like discovery.

Steve Treder Interviews Fred Stein

Today’s post invites you to pause and think about an aspect of baseball not always talked about.

For example, can you name a famous fan for your team?    No, not a famous person who goes to the game now and then, but someone who has gone to a lot of the team’s games, or has been a fan for a long time.

Giants fans are fortunate in that we have Fred Stein and Steve Treder.   The latter interviewed the former recently, a nice two part conversation that covers topics such as Stein’s attending games at the Polo Grounds, and memories that go back to seeing Hubbell, Ott and Terry.    Steve knows the questions we would want asked and Fred has a life-time’s worth of knowledge and memories to drawn on.  

I say Fred because I’m lucky to call him a friend.   We haven’t seen each other in a while but I fondly recall having a regular lunch date with him at Bullfeather’s in Old Town.  We always talked baseball and the Giants.    Fred was also a good luck charm for me.   Waiting for him at the end of a game at RFK in 2005, I spotted and briefly chatted with my childhood hero Frank Howard.      

Stein not only has a lot of memories of the Polo Grounds, he’s written a handful of books on the Giants.   One that Steve and others mentioned is Under Coogan’s Bluff:  A Fan’s Recollections of the New York Giants under Terry and Ott.   

Baseball has recorded a lot about the game, but paradoxically, there’s little on the people who see it everyday.   Here’s hoping we do something about that in the future (A SABR Committee on Fans?), and that you enjoy Steve's interview as much as I did.

Chicks Dig RUSH

A conversation last week between Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, filmmakers of RUSH:  Beyond the Lighted Stage, which made its debut this weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

“Scot, Jason Drew of AP Red just called.    They need some help with their red carpet interviews on Saturday night.”

“I thought we covered that, Sam.   A couple of fans, me and you, Geddy and Alex.”

“They want two more minutes, something creative, spice it up a bit.”

“Spice it up how?”

“They want chicks.”

“Well, Jillian, the RUSHCON director is a chick.”

“No, hot chicks, you know, the kind you see at Bleacher Report.”

“Oh come on.    RUSH and hot chicks?   It’ll seem way too contrived.”

“Well, Jason has an idea.   Sebastian Bach is a legit RUSH fan.   He’s coming and bringing his wife who is drop dead gorgeous.   And get this.  She knew Geddy and Alex in high school.”

“Hey that will be something, maybe bring in some new fans for the band.”  

“I don’t know about that, but the video will make a few rounds on you tube.”

“She’s that good, uh?”

“Oh yea.   I’ll send you the link…”

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Home of William Brown

 General William Brown

212 S. Fairfax

There’s not a lot of information on Brown on the web.   Washington appointed him to be Surgeon General of the Hospital Middle Department.    One Journal described him as “one of the best equipped and most able medical men of the revolutionary period.”

 All plaque unveilings produce emotion, but this one must have been one of the more poignant.   The Washington Post made note of the noon-time ceremonies that took place on June 14, 1931.   The flag covering the tablet was the same one that had draped over the casket of Lt. Wilmarth Brown, great, great, great, grandson of Brown, who was killed in action in Vaux France.   Brown was posthumously cited for “exceptionally gallant action and bravery.

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Green Furniture Factory

 Green Furniture Factory

200 South Fairfax

Originally a grain storage warehouse, this brick building was long home to a Furniture factory, owned by the James Green family.  During the Civil War the building served as a military prison.  Later uses included a car dealership.   It’s now a nice set of city flats near Gentry Row.

 The plaque itself stands out, different from all the others I have seen so far, and no indication of who placed it there.   It’s also partially hidden by a potted plant.  Bet you whoever placed it there is not a history buff!

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Home of George Johnston

 George Johnston’s Home

224 South Lee

Mentor of George Washington and Trustee of Alexandria.  Worked with Patrick Henry in 1765 on the Virginia Stamp Act resolutions.   

Nice quiet street, one of my favorites.

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Bank of Alexandria

Bank of Alexandria

131 N. Fairfax

The Virginia Assembly established the Bank of Alexandria in 1792, the first bank in the state.   Built in the Federal style, it is one of the oldest commercial structures in the city.  According to Smith and Miller, the building “may be the second oldest structure in the United States erected specifically as a bank building.”   

Located next to the Carlyle House, the red-bricked, three-story building has seen several uses through the years, and has returned to its roots, housing a financial firm.  At least that’s what the sign says.

Note: I forgot to list the address of Carlyle House.   It is 121 North Fairfax.