When the Orioles beat the visiting Washington Senators by a score of 7-1 on Sept.10, 1971, the lineup for the home team included Frank Robinson in right field and Dave Johnson at second base.
Each player had a hit and drove in a run at Memorial Stadium. The losing pitcher for Washington was Dick Bosman, who later became a pitching coach for the Orioles.
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Now, 35 years later, a Washington baseball team returns to Baltimore as the Nationals begin a three-game weekend series Friday night at Camden Yards.
And Robinson will be in the visiting dugout as the Washington manager, while Johnson was hired June 7 as a special consultant for the Nationals.
The two teams met last month, with the Nationals winning two of three.
The potential Interleague rivalry between baseball fans in Washington and Baltimore did not instantly take hold during the series at RFK Stadium.
The two teams averaged 31,658 fans during the series. In comparison, the Nationals drew sellouts during its series with the Yankees last weekend, including two games with 45,000 or more.
“The fans seem to like it, but it?s just another team,” said Orioles second baseman Brandon Fahey, son of former Washington Senator Bill Fahey.
Orioles officials said they expect a near sellout Friday. Advanced ticket sales for Saturday?s game are tracking at around 30,000 to 35,000, while Sunday was around 25,000 on Thursday.
“Probably the record of both clubs aren?t conducive to make a real buzz,” said Oriole manager Sam Perlozzo, who played baseball at George Washington University. “I?m looking forward to it. We need to play well the rest of the way. They?re just a team on our schedule right now.”
Ellicott City resident Mike O?Connor, who also played at GW, is now a starting pitcher for the Nationals.
“It might be a little different since it is up in Baltimore,” O?Connor said.
O?Connor played in the annual high school all-stargame at Camden Yards during his senior season at Mt. St. Joseph?s.
“I threw two innings and pitched pretty well,” O?Connor said.
O?Connor said Thursday there is an outside chance he could pitch Saturday against the Orioles, due to family concerns with Nats pitcher Ramon Ortiz.
The lefty said he will stay at his home in Ellicott City this weekend, and expects he will have to leave several tickets for family and friends.
