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The first game in Altoona 15 years ago today

One of the most anticipated pro baseball debuts comes 15 years ago today as pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the top pick of the 2009 amateur draft, works the first five innings – and picks up the win – in the Harrisburg Senators’ 6-4 Class AA victory at Altoona.

Strasburg, who finishes the season in the majors with the Washington Nationals, makes his debut exactly 23 years to the day when pro baseball returns to Harrisburg after being absent there since 1952.

Strasburg ends up spending 13 seasons in the majors, although much of his time there finds him on the Nationals’ injured list.

He finishes with a record of 113-62 in 247 starts with a 3.24 career earned-run average and a sparkling 10.5 strikeouts for every nine innings he pitches.

Stephen Strasburg during the 2019 World Series (UPI photo)

Some of Strasburg’s best moments in a career of sporadically brilliant moments come during the 2019 World Series, where he wins both of his starts for Washington against the Houston Astros with 14 strikeouts in 14 innings.

For his efforts there, Strasburg is named the World Series’ MVP award.

Alas, assorted arm injuries and surgeries limit Strasburg, who over his final three seasons from 2020-22 pitches a total of just 31 1/3 innings over eight starts for the Nationals.

Worry not, though, for Strasburg as his career includes that aforementioned World Series ring as well as more than $320 million in earnings.