PLAY BALL!

After going to the opera at the stadium (and seeing how easy it was to get there), we thought it might be fun to take in a baseball game before the season ended. Normally we don't do things that keep us out late on a weeknight, but the Washington Nationals were playing the New York Mets. Four games. Monday through Thursday. Given what was going on at work, Rich decided that Thursday would be the best night to go.

In Albuquerque we try to hit an Isotopes game or two every season. We're not huge baseball fans, but it's a lot of fun. Well, this was a lot like going to an Isotopes game - but bigger. Bigger stadium. Bigger crowd.  Bigger entertainment. (Bigger ticket prices.) The brand new certified green Nationals Park stadium has a seating capacity of almost 42,000. Attendance was only about 60% that night though. The Nats lost (2-7) and have since clinched the last place spot in the National League.

We had a great time though.  We had good seats. Fireworks go off during the national anthem ("And the rockets red glaaaare, the bombs bursting in air"). Despite losing the Nats made some great plays. But one of the highlights was the Presidents Race in the middle of the 4th inning. I got a picture of Teddy Roosevelt as he was coming out of the gate (you can kind of see Abe Lincoln in the background) and right then my batteries decided to go. I got one more shot (blurry) of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and then the batteries died. Even if I'd had my spare set it would have been all over by the time I'd changed them. Oh well. Trust me. It was hilarious.

Maybe we'll try to get to another game next season in the spring.