Tag Archives: Nationals Park

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Lannan Struggles in 5-3 Loss to Chicago

Photo courtesy of
‘Teddy FAIL’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

After a 5-3 loss, manager Jim Riggleman said that the Nationals were “going to pass the character test.”  Last season’s team under Manny Acta never had that chance, and before the All-Star Break, they were 26-61.  The Nats this season, after starting 20-15, have dropped 24 of their last 35, including six straight.  They’d have to lose every game between now and the All Star Break to get anywhere close to as rough as last season was.  I don’t see that happening.

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Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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The True Meaning of Strasmas

Photo courtesy of
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courtesy of ‘muohace_dc’

Tonight is the Third Night of Strasmas, as he starts against the Chicago White Sox at Nats Park at 7:05pm. The flashbulbs with all go off again, the crowd will once again chant for strikeouts, and DC will be a baseball town, as it will be all summer, for one game out of each five.

The Nationals are in for a crucial stretch of games, nine against interleague teams with records worse than their own 31-36, and then a patch of 13 against division foes that are a significant hurdle for our boys in red. Their first 67 games have not gone as planned, but the team is still wins ahead over last year’s abysmal 59-102. So, what do the Nationals have to do to make every day into Strasmas? Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nats Complete Sweep of Bucs

Photo courtesy of
‘155/365’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

The weather on Thursday night was about as perfect as you can find in June in Washington, a great night at the ballpark. The Nats were looking to complete the sweep against the Pirates, hoping for their first of the season. Zach Duke stood in their way, 2009 All-Star, and starting pitcher for the Pirates. No, he’s not Stephen Strasburg, but ¡Livan! Hernandez is the Nats’ current #1, and he was on to devour some innings tonight to finish the homestand. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Features
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Let Teddy Win! Highlights from WeLoveDC’s Night at the Ballpark

Photo courtesy of
‘Teddy #191’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Thank you so much to every one who trekked out in the rain last night. Our small group certainly made a large dent in what turned out to be the least attended game in the National’s Park’s history… But the sparsely populated ballpark also made for a great playground for the Let Teddy Win group. After a great tour of the stadium, including a trip up to the press box and views of private suites and the Diamond Club, we headed back to our seats for presidential race trivia and prizes. And we were there at the finish line when Teddy’s umbrella slowed him down to a near halt, letting Abe pull into the lead.

Click below for highlights of the evening:

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Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nationals Make Improvements Before Pre-Season Opener

Victory Knot Pretzel

Special to We Love DC by Hal Mangold

Let’s get one thing straight right now: The Washington Nationals probably aren’t going to be very good this year. They might be bearable, even fun, to watch, but expecting them to be anywhere other than knife-fighting in the basement of the NL East is probably too much to ask given the catastrophic 2009 season. I’m pretty sure the brass over at Nationals Park are well aware of this, and at the very least it looks like they’re trying to make sure that coming to DC’s temple of baseball has other attractions than what’s on the field. So it came to pass that on the stunning Spring day that was yesterday, the Nationals rolled out the PR red carpet (literally, as it happens) and guided a motley band of local TV, radio, print and online media around Nationals park to show off the new polish that’s been applied to the place. There’s something kind of magical about walking around a mostly empty ballpark, and the weather couldn’t have been better for it. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Architect Paul Devrouax Passes

Photo courtesy of
‘Washington, D.C. Convention Center’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

Architect Paul S. Devrouax, JR., FAIA passed away earlier today of causes not yet known.

Devrouax was the founding principal of Devrouax and Purnell Architects, a DC-based architecture firm that was established in 1978 and was the creative genius behind well-known city projects such as Nationals Park, the Convention Center, and the City Museum.

Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Eagles Announce June Tour Stop At Nationals Park

Photo courtesy of
‘03106-17Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’

Dave Matthews Band aren’t the only headliner’s planning to rock out at Nationals Park this summer.

Satisfy your craving to bust out into random song (i.e. scream classic karaoke tunes like “Hotel California” at the top of your lungs … in public … without shame) when The Eagles  stomp through town during their upcoming tour on Tuesday, June 15.

Tickets go on sale next Monday, March 29 at 10 a.m.

The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban will join The Eagles as special guests on this tour stop.

The Daily Feed
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Ballpark Tours Are Back This Season At Nationals Park

Photo courtesy of
‘Nationals vs Mets – Field of Dreams – 9-29-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Looking for another excuse to make it to the ball park this summer? There’s more to the game than sitting back and watching the players at work. The Washington Nationals resumed their behind-the-scenes tours of Nationals Park this weekend.

The one-hour-and-fifteen minute tours include the opportunity to step inside the Nationals Dugout, see where the guys hang their hats in the Clubhouse, step on the mound and throw a pitch in the home team bullpen, access to the Lexus Presidents Club and PNC Diamond Club, a chance to feel like a big-league reporter from inside The Shirley Povich Media Center, and visits to the Nationals batting cages to hit a couple balls.

Tickets are available online or at the Nationals Park Box Office and are $15 for adults and $12 for children under 12. Seniors and military will receive a $3 discount with a valid I.D.

Additionally,  proceeds from the tours benefit the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. So get outside, see the park, and support a good cause this season!

Tours will run until November 13.

Entertainment, The Features
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What It Takes To Be An American President In NatsTown

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It takes more than the promise of hope and change to become an American President in NatsTown. Over 40 guys and gals reported to Nationals Park Saturday afternoon as “presidential candidates” for the 2010 Racing Presidents. Their goal — prove they’ve got the stamina, strength, and charisma to be an acting Racing President from April to September.

DC isn’t the first or only baseball town to have a mascot run a race in between innings down the warning track. In fact, baseball mascot races are part of what make the teams that have the races even more fun to watch!

Milwaukee beat every other team to it in the 1990’s when they created “The Sausage Race”. And yes – it is what it sounds like – four types of sausage, one prize … the glory of winning an in-between inning novelty racing game from inside a giant physics problem of a costume.

The Sausage Race became an instant fan favorite before the bottom of the sixth inning at every home game for the Brewers at Miller Park. The mascots are now known as “Klement’s Racing Sausages” (Klement’s Sausage Company is located in Milwaukee and provides the Brewers with their products). To top it off, there are five of them: Brett Wurst (a bratwurst), Stosh (a Polish sausage), Guido (an Italian sausage), Frankie Furter (a hot dog), and Cinco (a chorizo). Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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Exclusive Shots From The 2010 Geico President’s Race Auditions At Nationals Park!

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The Washington Nationals hosted invite-only auditions for the 2010 Geico President’s Race yesterday afternoon at Nationals Park. Over forty hopefuls competed for the chance to become one of four great American Presidents for all home games this season. Check out a few exclusive shots of all those George, Tom and Abe’s (this is the fourth year that the twelve foot Teddy costume was not used during the auditions) running through an untouched, snow covered warning track after the page jump. Continue reading →

Essential DC, Special Events, Sports Fix, The Features
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NatsFest 2010: If You Build It, They Will Come

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Imagine a quiet Sunday morning. The city is silent from the few inches of snow that stuck to the ground yesterday. Most everyone’s either still asleep or in the comfort of their own homes trying to keep warm. It’s the last day of the first month of 2010. So, you choose to lounge around. Huge mistake. Why? You’re missing out on the most pristine, once in a lifetime moment baseball fans in DC have had since the game’s big move back to town.

NatsFest 2010 was — in a word — awesome. Although it’s easy to doubt their dedication during the season, fans turned out in the hundreds (and early!) for a fun-filled fan fest hosted by their favorite men in red. Nationals fans of all-ages wrapped themselves around the park entrance for close to an hour before the 11 a.m. start time of NatsFest. Their devotion was somewhat shocking considering their team’s losing for the past five years, but let us all  remember that the Nationals are still teenagers by baseball standards. They’re new. They’re in their awkward, “growing-up” phase. Can you really blame them for trying to find out who they are among all of the other big kids playing the game?

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The Daily Feed
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Nationals To Host “Expos Day”? It Could Happen…

Photo courtesy of
‘More than Half-Empty’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Before Washington got the Nationals, our boys in red were shagging flies and blasting runs as the FIRST Major League Baseball club to play outside of the states. The Montreal Expos, who started as a National League expansion team in 1969, changed their Canadian mailing address and club name on Dec. 3 2004 when they became the Washington Nationals.

Nationals blogger Ed Chiglaik, founder of the Federal Baseball blog, took a minute to remember our team’s heritage today. How’s about a Montreal Expos Day at Nationals Park this summer to commemorate the days of baseball past as we move forward with the 2010 season?  Nationals pitcher Collin Balester says he’s a fan of the idea! Anyone else?

Who knows — it might just give our guys the karma boost they deserve to give their “forefathers” a slight tip of the hat. Anything to notch a few more W’s in that win column, right?