Let Teddy Win T-Shirts
One thing we’re asked frequently (other then “When is Teddy gonna win?”) is whether the entire presidents race is scripted in advance.
When I respond that Nationals Park PA announcer Jerome Hruska really calls the game live and unscripted, some people find that hard to believe.
So when the Nationals hosted several bloggers at the park last weekend, I made a special last-minute request, and the Nats were happy to oblige.
During the 4th-inning presidents race, the Nats allowed us to bring two video cameras up to the control room at
Nationals Park, to give Let Teddy Win readers an inside look at the calling of the GEICO presidents race.
High above the field, a small army of directors, statisticians, and engineers communicates with camera operators and entertainment staff stationed throughout the park, mixing the feed live for the 101-foot HD scoreboard over the centerfield bleachers.
Behind a soundproof door, Hruska reads a script introducing the presidents race video, but from that point forward, the script just reads “(RACE).”
Video below. Thanks to Chad Kurz and the Washington Nationals for letting LTW readers behind the scenes.
Filed under: Nationals Park, Presidents Race, Videos | Tagged: Jerome Hruska, nationals racing presidents, Presidents Race, Racing Presidents, Washington Nationals PA Announcer | 1 Comment »
A five game losing streak is a pretty scary thing for Nationals fans, but on Friday night at Nationals Park, the Nats racing presidents upped the ante, emerging from the centerfield starting gate wearing “Jason” masks to honor Friday the 13th.
With a rare late afternoon start and temperatures in the mid-90s for the final game of this week’s homestand, the last thing anybody at Nationals Park probably wanted to do was exert themselves by running a sprint around the full length of the warning track. 
George Washington was teamed with Thomas Jefferson and Abe Lincoln was teamed with Teddy Roosevelt as the race began. 
The Washington Nationals racing presidents continued to cement their position as DC icons with an appearance in yesterday’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. 
Tonight Abe Lincoln got his revenge on a seemingly trusting Teddy. Yes, Honest Abe himself joined forces with Teddy by setting up a trip wire to take down George and Tom. Of course, Abe then pushed Teddy aside to take his 21st presidents race of this young Washington Nationals’ season.
It was however a slightly more successful series if measured in terms of fan goodwill. The rivaly between the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates falls somewhere between benign and nonexistent, so this year the teams decided to inject a little extra fun into the contest by sending mascots to the other team’s stadium. 
As expected, the Washington Nationals racing presidents 
