We have been saying for years that if the Red Sox ever play at National’s Park, we need to go. We’ve been to Fenway, seen them in San Francisco and Seattle, and went for a series of years to Camden Yards – or it’s actual name – Fenway South. The Nationals are the closest team to us, though, a mere three and a half hours away, but they are an NL team and we never seem to hook up for one of those interleague extravaganzas. Until this year. It was on the schedule. And when was it on the schedule? During the week of July 4th.
So we debated. Should we go? Games are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – July 4th. The first two games were at night and would require staying overnight. The July 4th game was at 11am and would require staying over on July 4th in DC or getting up really early and making it a day trip. We weren’t completely against going to DC for the fourth of July. We’ve done it before. It’s hot and crowded, but epic and fun. The problem was we were going away for a week the week before and going away on a huge expensive 2 week vacation a little more than a month later. We didn’t want the expense of staying up there a few days for another mini vacation. The $50 per night parking fees are a killer. We decided to go for the Wednesday road trip. Fourth of July in DC watching the Red Sox!
We got good seats that weren’t too expensive, prepaid parking in a lot fairly close, and hoped that it wouldn’t be 95 and smoking on this particular July 4th. Well, it was 95 and smoking….
We got up at 5am – left at 6am – and got the beautiful view of interstate freedom all through Virginia – the state police. They were everywhere. Reminding us that freedom isn’t free. It can cost you a couple hundred dollars if you try to liberate yourself from their limits on speed. We got the message and made it our nation’s capital without their assistance.
We had a great time at the game! The Red Sox won finishing a three game sweep! It was great seeing them in person again and being around all the other Sox fans. All the Independence Day celebrations at the park were great and the Nationals fans were awesome. They put up with us Boston fans invading their territory admirably. There were no comments or attitudes. This wasn’t New York or Philadelphia.
And an 11 o’clock game meant drinking at 10:30…
Hot
Our seats were great, but were right out in the sun the whole day. It was hot. I mean Washington D.C. in July hot. If you have ever been there then you know what I mean. Hot, humid, and no wind. There is something about DC where there is no wind. This day was no exception. We tried to prepare. Hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, but it wore us down. It was so hot that if you stood up for a few minutes and then sat back down your seat was already a torture device. We took trips to the concourse for relief and tried to drink water. And when I say water I mean the crappy beer they serve there, of course. When the game was finally over and we thought we survived, we realized we might not have. On the walk up to the concourse my wife started feeling lightheaded. She had to take a seat on one of the scalding seats and put her head in her hands. When she felt a little better we tried again, only to take another seat a few rows closer. We finally made it to the shade where I ran off to find water. Because all the concessions close as soon as the game ends, I had to resort to the water fountain – where there was a line. Eventually my wife felt better, but now it was my daughter’s turn. She had gone to the bathroom and hadn’t come back. We texted her and waited. Finally she showed up. She started feeling bad too at the restrooms. I was able to find an ice cream machine and that cooled her down. I was also beat. Outside the stadium we found water galore being sold on the corners. We were lucky not to get caught in any turf battles…
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
One of the cool things they do at National’s Park is the Presidents Race. It’s so funny. George Washington won this July 4th edition – as you’d expect!
During Take Me out to the Ballgame the Presidents come back out. Throwing shirts and leading the singing. Only in DC. Of course the Red Sox fans made ourselves heard. Root, root, root for the Red Sox. If they don’t win it’s a shame.
Foul Story
I almost caught a ball.
So these ladies sitting behind me asked the boy a couple seats down if he was good with the glove he was wearing, because they were relying on him to catch a ball if one comes our way. He nodded yup. 10 minutes later – crack – a ball was screaming straight for us.
Well, you know how it works. The ball wasn’t really coming straight at us. It kept curving toward us on it’s journey. In the seconds it took to get to us it looked like it might land somewhere in front of us and then suddenly there it was curving right at us – line drive – and looking as big a softball in slow motion. It would’ve landed right in between my daughter and wife, but they were up in the concourse getting shade, so it was up to us – the ladies, the boy, and me. Everything converged on the ball. Hands, bodies, stares. My left hand went out and – smack – collided with the ball right in the meaty section just below the thumb. In the second or two it took, I watched it bounce back, hit arms and hands, bounce up – and land right in the boy’s glove.
He got it just like he said he would. Well, not exactly as he said he would.
The boy’s family was also up getting shade, but when they got back they got to hear the harrowing story from the ladies of how he dove over the seats and snagged the ball protecting them from sure death.
Another in the long history of Foul Stories….
All Star Game
In a couple weeks the All Star Game will be played at Nationals Park. There were reminders everywhere. It was pretty cool. A bunch of Red Sox will be right back in the heat as All Stars.
Fireworks
Well, with the game over and all of us sort of recovered from heatstroke, it was time to take the interstate tour in reverse. Our original plan was to stop in Williamsburg for the fireworks. Then we thought we would just drive most of the way back home and go to the fireworks in Norfolk. It was so hot, though, and we were so tired – so we decided to call it a day and go home. That didn’t mean we missed the fireworks, though. It was like a war zone in our neighborhood. They were coming from all directions. Loud and close. I thought the purge was going on. I can’t believe nobody’s house burned down – said the grumpy old man who had been up since 5am and driven 7 hours round trip today. What’s wrong with these kids today…
It was a long but great day and a pretty cool way to celebrate Independence Day. Freedom, baseball, beer, fireworks, and dancing presidents….
dave's word 