2012 Results & Highlights

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2012 was a breakthrough season for both the Nationals and for perpetual loser Teddy Roosevelt.  As the team soared to the best record in Major League Baseball, pressure grew from all corners to Let Teddy Win.  Competing players weighed in, law professors proposed legal remedies, the Orioles’ Adam Jones joined the movement, and calls for a Teddy victory came from The Washington Post to the Wall Street Journal to a Ken Burns-narrated video on ESPN.  After The White House issued a statement, the Nats turned the final homestand into a tribute to Teddy, and finally let him taste his first victory at the final regular season game.

Final 2012 Presidents Race Standings**

#1 George Washington 30
#16 Abraham Lincoln 29
#3 Thomas Jefferson 27
#26 Teddy Roosevelt 4

**Includes three victories by Teddy Roosevelt during home playoff games.

2012 Presidents Race Highlights

DATE VS. WINNER NOTABLE
4/12 CIN Tom Teddy ties presidents shoelaces but Tom takes them off
4/13 CIN Tom Presidents race on Segways, Jefferson moves to 2-0
4/13* CIN Tom Abe takes out Teddy in extra 13th-inning race
4/14 CIN Abe Direction change confuses Teddy, who runs wrong way
4/15 CIN George Jayson Werth breaks the tape, but Teddy fails to do so
4/16 HOU Abe George tackles Tom, Abe wins on Emancipation Day
4/17 HOU Tom Teddy stops to look for Space Shuttle Discovery in the sky
4/18 HOU Abe Teddy makes a strong run, but can’t catch Abe
4/19 HOU George Teddy gives out High Fives for National High Five Day
4/20 MIA Tom Tom passes George and Abe in the home stretch
4/21 MIA George Teddy skips race, walks the dog for Pups in the Park
5/1 ARI George “Classic” presidents return for Bryce Harper’s debut
5/2 ARI George George runs away with it. Presidents taunt Racing Gracie
5/3 ARI Abe Lincoln wears Mark Grace mask to snare a win for Gracie
5/4 PHI George With Phillies in town, presidents show their “Natitude”
5/5 PHI Tom Teddy gives up the lead to antagonize Phillies fans
5/6 PHI George Teddy attacks & ESPN’s Dan Shulman visits the blog
5/14 SDG George “New” presidents return, GW falls back over finish line
5/15 SDG George In the rain, everybody falls except George Washington
5/16 PIT George Racing pierogie Potato Pete returns, distracts Teddy
5/17 PIT Tom Teddy exacts revenge on Pittsburgh’s Potato Pete
5/18 BAL George Presidents run left. George does jumping jacks.
5/19 BAL Tom Teddy pummels the Oriole Bird
5/20 BAL Abe Lincoln returns to form, passing Roosevelt for the win
6/2 ATL Abe “Classic” presidents return after long road trip
6/3 ATL Tom Abe Lincoln face plants in foul territory
6/5 NYM Abe Abe Lincoln rides a tricycle but is not disqualified
6/6 NYM George/Abe Abe beats Teddy again, this time with both on bikes
6/7 NYM George Teddy fades, George beats Abe at the finish
6/15 NYY George In new military fatigues, Teddy falls to a rogue lobster
6/16 NYY Abe Teddy rides a motorcycle, but starts in the wrong direction
6/16* NYY Abe Teddy tried the motorcycle again, but runs out of gas
6/17 NYY Tom Jefferson knocks out all 3 competitors, is not disqualified
6/19 TAM Abe Lincoln shows up the other presidents at the finish
6/20 TAM George George holds off Abe as presidents run left
6/21 TAM Abe Teddy gets his glasses fixed. No help. Abe wins.
7/3 SFG Abe Teddy learns you can’t Tweet and run at the same time
7/4 SFG Tom Jefferson goes coast to coast on Independence Day
7/5 SFG George Abe & Teddy pay tribute to 1924 on throwback night
7/6 COL Abe Abe Lincoln pulls away from the pack at the finish
7/7 COL George In 103° heat, Teddy veers off course for Popsicles
7/8 COL George George comes from behind, taunts Abe at the finish line
7/17 NYM George/Tom George and Tom race to victory aboard tandem bicycles
7/18 NYM Tom Lincoln as Batman tackles Teddy Roosevelt as Bane
7/19 NYM Tom Teddy distracted by Mets fan offering free apple pie
7/20 ATL Abe Abraham Lincoln leads wire to wire
7/21 ATL George Washington comes from behind to pass Abe Lincoln
7/21* ATL Abe Lincoln surges past the field and cruises
7/22 ATL Abe Abe Lincoln cheats his way to presidents race victory
7/31 PHL Tom Racing presidents kick off a week of Olympic tributes
8/1 PHL Tom Racing presidents take up swords in fencing match
8/2 PHL George Racing presidents perform rhythmic gymnastics
8/3 MIA George/Tom Teddy runs anchor in baton relay, loses lead to George
8/3 MIA Tom Shark attacks Teddy as presidents “swim” race
8/4 MIA Abe “Regatta” has presidents riding Segways fitted with sails
8/5 MIA Tom Presidents race Olympics conclude with Steeplechase
8/17 NYM Abe Teddy nearly wins dressed as a shark for Shark Week
8/18 NYM Abe Nationals send a message, George pummels Teddy
8/19 NYM Abe Abe Lincoln continues his roll, passing Teddy for the W
8/20 ATL Tom Thomas Jefferson beats Abe Lincoln in a photo finish
8/20* ATL Abe In 13th inning, Screech awards W to Abe over George
8/21 ATL Tom Thomas Jefferson beats Abe Lincoln again at the wire
8/22 ATL Abe Abe moves into first place as race runs on 3B side again
8/30 STL Tom Thomas Jefferson catches Roosevelt from behind
8/31 STL Abe AU mascot Clawed the Eagle holds the finish line
9/1 STL Abe Teddy leads racing presidents in “Gangnam Style” dance
9/2 STL Tom Teddy rides a tricycle, but can’t catch Thomas Jefferson
9/3 CHC George George wins first presidents race in a month
9/4 CHC Abe Lincoln catches George Washington from behind
9/5 CHC Tom Controversial finish in closest presidents race ever
9/6 CHC Abe Lincoln runs extends his lead with an easy win
9/7 MIA George Teddy pushes Abe Lincoln into the outfield wall
9/8 MIA Tom Presidents push and shove until one is left standing
9/9 MIA Tom Jefferson fades, then comes back to win a clean race
9/19 LAD Abe Lincoln takes race 1 of the doubleheader
9/19* LAD Tom Teddy loses, says “Argh!” on Talk Like a Pirate Day
9/20 LAD George George holds off TJ in the stretch as Nats clinch playoffs
9/21 MIL George Teddy comes in 2nd in 1st race after Nats make playoffs
9/22 MIL Abe Presidents (and pups in the park) show playoff Natitude
9/23 MIL George Teddy closes hard on the outside, but can’t catch GW
9/24 MIL George Presidents form blockade around Teddy Roosevelt
10/1 PHI George John McCain gives Teddy an HD scoreboard pep talk
10/2 PHI George After Teddy locks out Abe & Tom, George out-cheats him
10/3 PHI TEDDY Teddy wins historic first presidents race after 525 losses
10/10 STL TEDDY Racing presidents dance Gangnam Style as Teddy wins
10/11 STL TEDDY All star cast of villains returns to help Teddy win
10/12 STL TEDDY Grounds crew pummels George, Tom, and Abe

* A second official presidents race is added when a game exceeds 12 innings. Late-inning bonus presidents races were run on April 13 (13 innings vs. Cincinnati Reds), June 16 (14 innings vs. New York Yankees), and August 20 (13 innings vs. Atlanta Braves). The Nationals also played two home games (i.e., baseball doubleheaders) on July 21 and September 19.

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