Baseball Legend Walter Johnson and His Historic Throw Across the Rappahannock River
MLB Legend Walter “Big Train” Johnson recreated a famous myth associated with George Washington
Well-known American tales depict the first U.S. President, George Washington, doing admirable feats that showed off his virtuousness and wholesomeness. They included cutting down his father’s beloved cherry tree and then confessing to his misdeed; and throwing a silver dollar that cleared the entire wide expanse of the Rappahannock River in Virginia. In retrospect, these stories were all but certainly made up (silver dollars didn’t exist when Washington was a boy), yet they became part of the country’s lexicon and inspired many, including pitching legend Walter Johnson, who set out to duplicate the river throw in 1936.
At that time, Johnson had just finished up the second of two professional baseball careers. He had spent 21 years with the Washington Senators, dominating the big leagues with a powerful right arm that produced a devastating fastball and earned him the nickname of the “Big Train.” With his heater estimated to be in the upper 90s or faster, batters did not enjoy seeing him peering in from the mound. His 417 wins and 2.17 ERA landed him in the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, as voted on that…
