5 years ago
It's Opening Day in DC for the first time in 34 years! RFK stadium will be packed with more than 45,000 screaming fans in a matter of hours as the Washington Nationals take the home field.
City officials are urging as many fans as possible to use Metro for tonight's game. The closest stop is the Stadium Armory Station - just down East Capitol Street. Metro says it will run longer trains and stay open to accommodate fans should the game run late. Prepare for big crowds at Metro Center and L'Enfant Plaza and look for Metro representatives at various stations to answer any questions you might have.
If you want to drive, parking could be a concern. Several parking lots near the stadium will open to the public at 3:00pm, but be forewarned ?some are permit only. There are more than 10,000 parking spots at RFK Stadium; most of them right off 295 at East Capitol Street. Stadium parking costs $10.
And don't think you can just park on the streets around RFK. City crews will be prowling the streets near the stadium for cars without special parking stickers. Residents had to stand in line Wednesday to get those special stickers to ensure their cars aren't towed. Some say they waited for hours.
Remember - even if you're not going to the game, but your night time commute takes you this way - be prepared for a lot of company!
With all the security and traffic you'll want to get to the game early and that may leave you unable to grab dinner beforehand. But rest assured that 1,000 food service employees at 130 food stands will be ready to help you out.
The Nationals expect to sell 15,000 hot dogs, 15,000 chicken tenders, 8,000 pretzels, 5,000 bottles of water, 4,000 gallons of soda, 3,000 pounds of french fries and 2,800 bags of peanuts at tonight's game.
You might be wondering what it will cost you... A regular or veggie hot dog will run you $4. A bag of peanuts is $3.50, some water to wash that down $4. A regular beer will cost you five bucks, a micro-draft $6.50. Or if wine is more your style, you can get that for $7.
You don't have to buy your food at the stadium for tonight's game or any other home game this season. RFK tells 9 News you can bring food into the stadium so long as it isn't in bulk. But you can't bring in any glass or plastic bottles, aluminum cans or thermoses. The one exception is a normal sized bottle of water - so long as it is in clear plastic.
Play video for Jan Fox's report on what makes the fare at RFK unique.
It looks like the weather will cooperate for tonight?s game and the crews at RFK will have the field in tip-top shape for baseball. Just five days ago, the field was ready for soccer. Now it has a pitchers' mound and four bases. Play video to see how Jimmy Rodgers, head of the grounds crew, is doing with the last minute touches.
The first home game is drawing many notables from the field of baseball. Playing a major part in that rich history was The Negro National League which officially formed in 1933. At its height, the league had 24 teams. Some of the surviving players joined 9 News on the field today - including Dwayne Sims, the founder and CEO of the National Negro League Hall of Fame. Play video to hear what he had to say.
This will also be a special night for one local stockbroker. That's because for eight years, from 1962 to 1970, he was a member of the Senators pitching staff. Tonight the broker returns to the ballpark. Jim Hannon was one of the aces of the Senators pitching staff in the sixties. Play video for his story.
Joe Grzenda threw the final pitch in Washington Senators history. That was 34 years ago. Play video to see his valuable souvenir.
The story of the Nationals that?s being told today really began in 1968. That's when Major League Baseball granted its first expansion team to Canada. A couple of years later the Senators packed up and moved to Texas. So 37 years after their birth, the Expos have become the Nationals. Play video for a look at the timeline leading up to this special day.
Tonight's home opener begins at 7:05 p.m. and President Bush is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Written by 9 News
