If presidential speechwriter Paul Orzulak gets his way, Teddy Roosevelt will win the Nationals’ 500th presidents race on August 18. In an opus for the Washington Post opinion pages entitled “Seriously, Nats: It’s time for Teddy to win,” Orzulak presents the most thorough and cogent case yet for the Washington Nationals to finally let Teddy … Continue reading Orzulak calls for Teddy to win on August 18
If you’ve ever wondered what rhythmic gymnastics would look like if Olympic athletes had to wear 10 foot high, 45 pound costumes, the answer arrived with gusto Thursday night at Nationals Park. After race walking and fencing through the first two matches of the series, the Rushmore Four continued to push the envelope with their … Continue reading Video: Racing presidents perform rhythmic gymnastics in Olympic tribute
The Nationals racing presidents continued their week of Olympic tributes on Wednesday night at Nationals Park with a rare non-race event — fencing. Teddy Roosevelt emerged from the centerfield gate bearing a foil, a flexible sword used in Olympic competitions. With Abe Lincoln waiting to confront Teddy on the warning track, the two crossed swords, … Continue reading Racing presidents take up swords in Olympic fencing tribute
The Washington Nationals racing presidents opened a six game home stand at Nationals Park promising to dedicate all races this week to events of the Olympic Games. The festivities kicked off Tuesday night with a “race walk” at Nationals Park set to Olympic music (yes, race walking is in fact an Olympic event). George Washington … Continue reading Nationals Racing presidents kick off a week of Olympic races
Abraham Lincoln returned to form Sunday at Nationals Park — cheating form, that is. In a race more fitting for a roller derby, “Honest” Abe took out George Washington with an anabashed body check along the outfield wall, clearing a path to victory after Thomas Jefferson had taken out Teddy Roosevelt in similar fashion. As … Continue reading Video: Abe Lincoln shoves his way to presidents race victory
Washington Nationals racing president Teddy Roosevelt livened up a hot Friday for a bunch of campers today by making a surprise appearance at the Bethesda Big Train Summer Baseball Camp. The highlight of the visit was a race between the most notorious of the racing Rushmores and a couple of dozen campers barely taller than … Continue reading Video: Teddy Roosevelt surprises kids at Big Train camp, loses
Over 36,000 loyal fans battled the heat to pack Nationals Park Thursday as the Nats hosted a rare weekday afternoon game vs. the New York Mets. Unfortunately, the stifling heat had little apparent effect on Teddy Roosevelt’s appetite. The Bull Moose held a big lead as he rounded the outfield corner, but a fan in … Continue reading Video: “Free Apple Pie” pulls Teddy Roosevelt off course
Yes, you read that correctly. With the highly anticipated Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises opening in theaters Friday, Nationals racing presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln took the field Wednesday night dressed as Batman comics villain Bane and the Dark Knight himself, respectively. Roosevelt jumped out to a big lead, with Abe bringing up … Continue reading Video: Abe Lincoln as Batman knocks out Teddy Roosevelt’s Bane
Over the weekend, I noticed that NPR’s data journalist Matt Stiles had created a data set based on this blog (yes, I find these things). His plans weren’t clear until yesterday, when he published Charting Presidential Mascot Races at The Daily Viz. Stiles says he tries to create a data visualization every day, and the … Continue reading NPR Charts Teddy Roosevelt’s Losses
Abe Lincoln has a reputation for pushing and shoving his way to the finish line, but pair him with Teddy Roosevelt for a night, and the Great Emancipator becomes a pussycat. Whether it’s a relay race or a shared bike ride, Lincoln has never one when teamed with Teddy. Coincidence? Hardly. The team kicked off … Continue reading Presidents race on tandem bikes, George & Tom take the tape
Here it is. The full video from Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City where Teddy Roosevelt clobbered Milwaukee’s Bratwurst as part of the MLB Great Mascot Race at the All Star Game Home Run Derby. After years of beating up on fake racing sausages, Teddy obviously decided a shot at the real thing was worth taking … Continue reading Full Video: Teddy Roosevelt clobbering Milwaukee sausage in the All Star Game Great Mascot Race
Each October, readers write to ask where they can get a Teddy Roosevelt costume, and I’ve never had a good answer. Finally, Nationals fan Wade Chi took matters into his own hands. “It took about 8 nights spread across a few weeks,” Chi told me, “[but] this past halloween, i made a giant racing Teddy … Continue reading Teddy Roosevelt costume has race fans seeing double
Major League baseball hosted an all star “Great Mascott Race” at Monday night’s Home Run Derby in Kansas City. Among the racing mascots who passed the baton in the relay race were Nolan Ryan (Rangers Legends of Texas Race) vs. Bob the Shark (Marlins Great Sea Race), Onion (Indians Hot Dog Derby) vs. Aquafina (Rays … Continue reading Video: Teddy Roosevelt races at All Star Game Home Run Derby, clobbers Milwaukee sausage
Being a racing president could not have been the most enjoyable job Saturday at Nationals Park, with the official afternoon game time temperature at 103°, and the grounds crew reporting that the turf itself hit 140°. With a heat wave enveloping Washington and a code red air quality alert in effect for the region, the … Continue reading Video: In 103° heat, grounds crew distracts Teddy with popsicles
Thursday was throwback night at Nationals Park, as the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants turned back the clock to commemorate the 1924 World Series between the Senators and then-New York Giants. The Nats left no stone unturned, from the usher and grounds crew uniforms, to the organ music, to the throwback green and white … Continue reading Video: On throwback night, Teddy and Abe Lincoln’s mummy pay tribute to 1924 (Founding fathers not impressed)
LET TEDDY WIN 