WASHINGTON — 1859. 1910. 1924. 1937. 1948. 1961. 1971.

The stroll up the gentle slope to the Home Plate Gate outside Nationals Park offers a concrete history of baseball in Washington, D.C., with the landmark years embedded into the sidewalk in huge red numerals.

After 1971, understandably, there is a gap. It takes a few extra steps to get to the marker for 2005.

If only those 34 years were that simple to traverse for the city’s long-suffering fans, specifically those who fought, lobbied and practically begged for the sport to return after the Senators left for Texas after the ‘71 season....