WASHINGTON, D.C. — After four off-seasons without a fanfest, the Nationals finally put one together. With a pair of extra tickets from We’ve Got Heart (thanks!) Erica and I got Will in his Nats cap and headed over to Nationals Park.
Since we arrived late, we did not have to wait in the long lines at the door to get in. I was surprised, pleasantly, to see so many cars in the parking garages. When we actually entered the ballpark we found our way into the President’s Club. We ran into some old friends and chatted with them while admiring the Club. It has a nice atmosphere and seems like a good place to spend pregame or a rain delay. If anybody ever has President’s Club tickets they want to go give away, let me know, I am here to help.
We also checked out the clubhouse and Stars & Stripes Lounge. The former was pleasant enough, but I could not exactly feel awed being in the place that Dmitri Young and Felipe Lopez used to put on their uniforms. I did note that Elijah Dukes locker had plenty of empties around it though. As for the S&S lounge they had some food, though I am sad to report the so-called Ben’s Chili Bowl half-smokes were not the genuine article..
We skipped autograph and photo sessions because the lines were so long and ultimately, I’m not an autograph guy. It would have been cool to get a photo of Will with Ryan Zimmerman, but that opportunity may present itself again some time. We also did not see or hear much of the Q&A sessions, but without audio, I could tell that Jim Bowden was pretty uncomfortable. I saw him as we were walking in, but I resisted the urge to call him on the carpet, etc. I don’t think I’ll resist the next time.
Other observations:
- We saw several Nats bloggers of the past and present during the day.
Stan Kasten walked by and I told him to sign Hondo. He acknowledged it, but I don’t remember how.
- Our son was not charged admission.
- A certain reporter for a Baltimore-based cable channel has poor elevator etiquette.
- No infant Nats clothing was available. I guess I will have to order Will something online in time for Opening Day, but really they should have had something.
- Overall, the buzz at the fest was pretty positive. This event was not marketed heavily outside of the season ticketholders and turnout had to have been stronger than expected. For a franchise coming off a miserable season, this says something positive about D.C. baseball fans.
