Dick Heller

HELLER: The spirit of Griffith lingers 50 years later

Fifty years ago, on Sept. 21, 1961, the old and new Washington Senators met in the last baseball game at Griffith Stadium, the old ballpark at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue Northwest where Howard University Hospital now stands.

September 20, 2011

HELLER: Maryland shows flash in win over Miami

If Randy Edsall's first Maryland football team is looking for an early-season slogan, how about this: Hurry up and get dressed.

September 5, 2011

HELLER: Golden stands directly in Hurricanes’ destructive path

If new Maryland football coach Randy Edsall thinks he has problems, all he has to do is peer across the field Monday night at Miami's Al Golden. Now there's a guy in harm's way.

September 4, 2011

HELLER: Hershberger is answer to tragic trivia question

Catcher Willard Hershberger played in just 160 games for the Cincinnati Reds before World War II, batting .315 but hitting no home runs.

August 30, 2011

HELLER: Marshall plan was reign of error

So you think Dan Snyder is the lousiest owner in Washington Redskins history? Forget it, despite the franchise's 86-106 record over 12 seasons under his highfalutin' hand.

August 29, 2011

HELLER: Flanagan tragedy puts losing in perspective

It is impossible to understand, of course, what caused Mike Flanagan to pull the trigger Wednesday afternoon. Speculation has run rampant since the tragedy, and much of it surmises that the Baltimore Orioles' ongoing failures were responsible for the suicide of a man who spent nearly 40 years as a player, executive and broadcaster with the organization.

August 25, 2011

HELLER: In summer’s swelter, it’s hard to warm up to preseason football

Is anything in professional sports less appealing than exhibition football games? Too bad the lockout was settled so early. A better time would have been six days or so before the start of combat that counts.

August 9, 2011

HELLER: What’s in a name? Nothing, if you’re playing for Randy Edsall

Apparently Randy Edsall, who remains unbeaten heading into his first season as Maryland's football coach, believes there is strength only in numbers. He says the Terrapins' new uniforms will not have the players' names on the back because "to me it's all about the name on the front ... Maryland. It's a team sport we're playing."

July 27, 2011

HELLER: Nat Allbright didn’t invent baseball; he re-created it

Nat Allbright wasn't the most accurate play-by-play sportscaster around — he once described a high school running back as crossing the "40-yard line, the 50, the 55, the 60" — but it would have been hard to find anybody more exciting.

July 19, 2011

HELLER: Stone’s fluky All-Star win a fading memory

As he started his windup to deliver a 1-1 pitch to Duke Snider, the rookie left-hander with the uncurly "W" on his uniform spotted the runner starting down the line from third base. Quickly, he hurled the ball to catcher Yogi Berra, who stepped outside and tagged Red Schoendienst in plenty of time.

July 18, 2011

HELLER: 1967 Red Sox believed, achieved under Williams

Rather inexcusably, local obituaries on Dick Williams didn't dwell on his greatest achievement and the greatest major league pennant race of modern times.

July 11, 2011

HELLER: Davey Johnson’s past success doesn’t guarantee similar results now

This was in the Mets' clubhouse at Shea Stadium after an October loss to the Montreal Expos eliminated New York from the 1985 National League East race. Understandably, the gloom was so thick you couldn't have cut it with a chain saw, much less a knife.

June 29, 2011

HELLER: End Pete Rose’s ban, let him enter Hall

Back in 1989, a rock-rumped sports columnist writing under my name shared this opinion with readers of The Washington Times: "Now and forever, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Brainless Pete Rose have one thing in common. Neither belongs in the Hall of Fame."

June 14, 2011