The Washington Senators were in the World Series in 1924, and ultimately would come away victorious. What you might not know is that Grace Coolidge (she also spent some time in Columbia Heights) was a huge baseball fan. Her husband, not so much. But she had plans to change that, at least for a night to watch game six of the World Series against the New York Giants.
Below is an article that we dug up in The New York Times printed on October 10th, 1924.
Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, a baseball enthusiast, influenced the President today to attend the third game of the world’s series [sic] played in Washington. Apparently with some reluctance, according to White House officials, the President left his desk this afternoon and arrived at the ball grounds just a few minutes before the game started.
-ad 197-…
Before the game started, Judge Landis brought John McGraw of the Giants to the President’s box and introduced him. They chatted a few minutes and Mrs. Coolidge expressed the hope that Washington would win and tie the series. The manager of the Giants smiled as he left the box, when he met Bucky Harris coming in to greet the Presidential party.
Here are a couple photos of Coolidge at the World Series in Washington.
Mrs. Coolidge kept the score and the President got his information as to the players and status of the game from her. She was enthusiastic from the very beginning. The President tried to be impartial in his cheers, but as the contest progressed he rooted for Washington quite as much as did his wife. Her enthusiasm was spontaneous. She could not restrain herself from occasionally jumping from her seat and raising her hand in her joy. The President, however, applauded in rather a mechanically precise way until the fifth inning. Then at this critical exciting period when Washington scored her two runs, which gave her the final victory,the President rose from his seat and shouted like an unrestrained school boy.
It is certainly difficult to think of Silent Cal being boisterous and rooting wildly for the team. The piece continues.
Mrs. Coolidge certainly caught the fever today and spread it to those about her. She was distinctly a Washington rooter. She chatted with those in the adjoining box and several times called the attention of the President to a good play which induced him to give belated approval with his precise way of clapping his hands.
…
As the New York pitcher walked slowly from the diamond to the clubhouse, he approached the box of the President. Both the President and Mrs. Coolidge, expressing sympathy, cheered him as they did Peckinpaugh, who when injured in the ninth inning was carried from the field.
-ad 199-Mrs. Coolidge said as she left the game that she had had the greatest thrill of her life and that she intended to attend tomorrow’s game. President Coolidge said that he had never seen such exciting games as the two which he had attended of the world’s series and despite a press of work he, too, would be at the game tomorrow.
President Coolidge was consented to be photographed with the winning team tomorrow. Some of the players who recognize in Mrs. Coolidge a real sincere lover of the American pastime, have requested she pose with the winners as well. She may do so.
Here is great film footage of the 1924 World Series from the Library of Congress.
