28 January 2013

Racing Presidents Get Another Runner

 
One of the fun things that goes on at Nationals Park each game is the 4th inning Race of the Presidents (sponsored by GEICO). The tradition of this race started in 2005 on the scoreboard at RFK when the newly relocated Expos now Nationals moved into DC. The original race was sponsored by PNC Bank and had the common Dollar Presidents racing in go-carts the Presidents featured were: George Washington ($1), Abraham Lincoln ($5), and Alexander Hamilton ($10) (I wonder why they didn't have Ulysses S. Grant ($20) in the race? Cheapos). The next season 2006 the race was still on the video screen but was changed from a car race to a footrace and now had the Mount Rushmore Four: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Then mid-season after the all-star break the race became a "live" event with runners in "mascot" costumes of the "Rushmore Four" with huge foam heads (which often are the cause of some embarrassing falls). Sometimes the 'Dents race in the period suits we are used to seeing them in, but I think most of the time now they race in their own Nats Uniforms with their uniform number being that of their presidency (George 1, Tom 3, Abe 16, Teddy 26 and now Bill 27).
Well for the 2013 season the team decided to add a fifth President to the race. The choice was announced at Natsfest on Saturday 26 January 2013. The identity was a big mystery, after some speculation of which President is was; guesses ranged from FDR to JFK to even still living presidents Clinton and Obama. The decision was made and William Howard Taft "Bill" will join George, Tom, Abe and Teddy. It makes the most sense considering Taft threw out the very first ceremonial "Presidential first pitch" on opening day, and supposedly is responsible for the 7th inning stretch.


Racing President's Sites: (and related sites/posts)
For more race details Wikipedia Presidents Race Page.
Let Teddy Win Blog
Nationals Mascots Racing Presidents
Nationals Mascots Racing Presidents Appearances
Racing Presidents Standings
Washington Post Announcement

23 January 2013

Frank Howard: Roast On The Coast


Let me preface this post by mentioning how I became aware of this particular event. At work my current duties are that of a receptionist, due to the internet, smartphones, crackberries - er - blackberries, email and various other ways to contact people other than a land-line phone, a receptionists duties are not just answering the phone anymore. [Note: I should have said that answering the phone is almost NOT a duty of the receptionist anymore] At my particular office since most people have direct phone lines and extensions there is very little need to go the roundabout way of calling an operator/receptionist. Anyway part of those duties are visitor control for my particular area, signing the visitors into our area and contacting whoever it is they are seeing. It sometimes means that you will run into someone who is trying to solicit something or get sensitive information from you.  Well back in November or December of last year 2012 a gentleman approached me at my lobby/desk looking like someone who was going to go into a sales pitch. OH GREAT a solicitor, quick where is security?

The man was Charlie Haje he introduced himself and mentioned the "Working Warrior Nation" organization, he started into talking about baseball and that he was a personal friend of Frank Howard. Then he handed me a couple of these flyers and told me about the event. He mentioned that Frank "didn't know about the roast" it was a "surprise". I didn't believe him at first but after I checked the organization on the internet I found out that the organization (and the roast) was legit.

I think it would have been a cool event to have gone to but at $500 a pop minimum that was a bit too rich for me, as are many similar type events. I also thought it would probably be too rich for my co-workers so instead of posting the flyers or leaving them out since there were just two of them I kept them for souvenirs. I had forgotten the actual date of it until I looked at it again and noticed it was two Saturdays ago. I thought it was sometime in February. Oops! [Note: I was planning on waiting till just after the event or the weekend of it to blog about it.]

 Frank Howard "Roast On The Coast" Flyer
(Front and Back)

When I had first checked this out the event was listed on the Working Warrior Nation website, but since it has now past it was of course taken down. I am curious as to how the evening went. I looked to see if there were any reviews but the only mentions I can find on a Google search is some PRE-views and the occasional sports forum mention asking if anyone is planning on going to it or what it was supposed to be about. Again these are all PRE-Event notices.

Frank Howard 1970 Portrait/Clipping (Team Issued?)

Oh well the latest I've heard about Frank oddly enough is that Current National Roger Bernadina is planning on wearing number 33 this 2013 season. This is prompting people to ask if the Nationals should retire #33 as Frank's Number? So far Roger's number is still listed as being number 2.

Senators/Nationals Mentioned in this Post: