James Tretick

GAME SEVEN: Fight to the Finish by James Tretick

No one ever dreamed they would be there: Except the players, and a boy at heart.

11-year-old Jimmy couldn’t believe his watering eyes. It was the fall of 1971, the last inning of the last game his beloved Washington Senators would ever play. Ruined by unruly fans and a forfeit to the Damned Yankees.

Jimmy thought baseball was over for him; except for Scouts and Co-Rec. But in 2005, Montreal couldn’t support a Major League team and, suddenly, the nation’s pastime returned to the Nation’s Capital. Jim was 45 by then; but felt like a kid again. 

The 2019 season, however, seemed to be over before it started. Eight weeks into the season, the Nats were 19-31 with a slew of injuries to starting players. Then on May 24th, the unexpected happened. A renewal, or a revival. The rallying cry for Scherzer and Strasburg, Turner and Soto, Rendon and the rest became, “Go 1-0 today.”

Riding the best team record over the last two-thirds of the season, the Nationals stormed into, and through, the playoffs. Luck won the first game, and perseverance took the rest.

Part game recap, part gut reaction, Game Seven will live in the hearts of Nationals fans for eternity. Climb aboard the bandwagon once again as D.C.-area native James Tretick takes us back to October 2019 as we relive the tales as the Nationals “Finish the Fight.”


Vote for your favorite pitch. The pitch that receives the most votes will be named Fan Favorite, and the author will receive a free one-hour consult with us (worth $250).

Go to the poll to vote