Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

the running of the presidents

This past Sunday, Rob, Dari and I went out to RFK Stadium to see the Washington Nationals take on the Chicago Cubs. (Or, if you’re an ardent Chicago-phile like Rob, see the Chicago Cubs take on the Washington Nationals.)

To mark the Nationals’ new ownership, the three-game home series was billed as a “grand re-opening weekend” at RFK, with red carpet at the entrance, new food stands and a mini-carnival outside the stadium. My favorite new addition, however, has to be the Presidents Run during the fourth inning.

Most ballparks seem to have some kind of faux race during the game, with, say, ketchup, mustard and relish running the bases either on the video screen or on the field. In this case, guys dressed up as four former presidents — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt — trot down the first base line while the crowd cheers them on. It’s perfect.

This time around, Jefferson took the lead early on, until Roosevelt came out of nowhere in a golf cart and swooped past them for the victory. It was good for a laugh, especially on a hot day like Sunday was — and if we were hot in the stands, I can only imagine how hot it must be in those costumes.

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