Presidential Race

This summer should prove to be an interesting presidential race. Who will win? Obama? Romney? Well, I’m here to stump for another candidate.

I say “Let Teddy Win!”

While much of the nation focuses on The Presidential Race, the baseball world often follows The Racing Presidents.

The Racing Presidents are a promotion of MLB’s Washington Nationals ballclub. During the fourth inning of every Nationals’ home game, The Racing Presidents (who are the likenesses of the four Mt. Rushmore Presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt) race around the perimeter of Nationals Park.

As you can imagine, when these mascots race, hijinks ensue. There are trips, tricks and various sight gags that punctuate this nightly event. George, Tom and Abe routinely win but Teddy has NEVER won the Presidents’ Race.

There is even a grassroots effort – in the form of a blog – destined to get across the message: “Let Teddy Win.”

These Commanders-in-Chief are quite popular in the D.C. metro area. They can be booked for special engagements. They’ve been known to turn up at official functions. At times, they greet fans at the stadium. They’re as popular as…well…the Presidents they represent!

You might say they have a very HIGH approval rating (beyond the margin of error).

The Nationals’ mascots are fashioned after other similar costumed characters. In Pittsburgh, they have racing pierogies; Milwaukee has racing sausages. But nothing quite compares to the sight of the Mt. Rushmore Presidents duking it out along the warning track of Nationals Park.

There have been some crossovers. For example, the pierogies and Presidents often compete against each other. Frequently, some misfortune befalls Teddy.  I think, also, the sausages and pierogies have teamed up before.

I have seen said sausages in action but I have never had the opportunity to see The Racing Presidents. That is definitely a goal of mine. When I last went to a Nats game in D.C., the Presidents had not yet debuted.

Maybe someday soon, I will get to see them in action.

And, more importantly, maybe someday soon the powers that be will “Let Teddy Win!”

JG 

(Source: washington.nationals.mlb.com)

Originally posted 5/21/2012