it happened in ’33

The Washington Nationals might just be a team of destiny. Davey Johnson, who steered the Jackson Mets to a Texas League pennant back in 1981, is almost certainly the National League manager of the year. The Nationals have the best record (71-44) in baseball. Atlanta has been feverishly chasing them since the All-Star break but still stands 4 1/2 games behind in the NL East as of today. The Nats had an eight-game win streak snapped on Sunday; the Braves also lost, in heart-breaking fashion to the New York Mets. That’s how it’s gone for Washington, whose fans are long overdue for some October baseball. The Nationals, who moved from Montreal in 2005, haven’t contended before this year. The Senators of 1961-71, who moved to Texas, had one winning season and never sniffed the postseason. The last Washington team to do so was the 1933 Senators, who lost the World Series in five games to the New York Giants. (That Senators franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961.) Buddy Myer, an Ellisville native who batted. .303 in his brilliant big league career, was the Senators’ second baseman in ’33. He was also on their pennant-winning team in 1925. Of course, the current Washington club also suits up a Mississippi native — Tyler Moore, the Northwest Rankin, Meridian Community College and Mississippi State product who is having a great rookie season (.295, six homers) as a part-time player.