The Washington Nationals have been hosting blood drives at their ball field this past summer. I went a second time and brought the kids with me, mostly so they could join me on the free ballpark tour.
We drove in early and the park is a little spooky when there's nobody else there.
I gave blood, which was the regular routine. I guess they expect kids to tag along because the organizers had a scavenger hunt that my children did while I was going through the paperwork and the bloodletting.
After I was done and we'd all had a snack (or two--they were offering Pirates Booty which is a favorite for my daughter), we went on the tour. The first stop was the luxury suites. Interestingly, the cost of renting a suite is higher during the week than on weekends. The explanation was that businesses were more likely to rent for after-work functions, so they could charge more.
The suites are stocked with a bar and buffet and great seats for viewing the game. This particular suite was unique because of the pool table included.
Down the hall from the suite was some interesting works of art.
First was a baseball bench made from bats and balls and bases!
Above the bench is a baseball flag by Ron Kittle with several of the balls signed by team members from 2010 (when the flag was made).
Nearby is a picture of Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. He started playing for the Washington Senators over a hundred years ago and is famous for great pitching and great sportsmanship. He was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A window showed the view to the new soccer stadium not far from Nats Park, though it was far enough not to get a good picture.
Down the hall is a display of memoribilia from Shirley Povich, a famous DC sports reporter who covered the Washington Senators and had a long career.
On the wall is Povich's personally scored program of Don Larsen's perfect game in game five of the 1956 World Series. It was the only perfect game in World Series history.
In one of the conference rooms is another World Series record--the longest game when the Senators beat the Yankees 4 to 3 in 12 innings of play. The story is even more dramatic--that was the seventh game of the 1924 World Series, so it was the deciding game. Povich had a championship pin from that Series.
Povitch kept all his press pins from the World Series he covered. Back in the day, teams would send pins to the press so that they would have access to press boxes, club houses, and such during the World Series. One interesting pin is the Brooklyn Dodgers "Phantom pin" from the 1946 series. Teams would send out the pins before the end of the season. Occasionally teams didn't clinch their title until very late in the season, like in 1946. The Dodgers had a chance to make it but didn't. Just in case, they sent pins out before they were sure they would win.
We went up to the press box, which is at the top of the stands. A lot of other stadiums have the press lower down with a better view of the game. The Nationals owners decided to save the good seats for the fans (and the suites) rather than the press.
Our tour guide pointed out some red chairs over in the high right-field stands. Those chairs are where Washington Nationals players hit home runs. All but one of the red chairs are due to Bryce Harper.
The tour took us downstairs to the clubhouses. We were not able to go to the home clubhouse since the Nationals players leave personal items in their lockers. No one wants overenthusiastic fans filching stuff. We toured the visitor's clubhouse, which had plenty of interesting things to see.
The clubhouse has a snack area and a few tables with entertainment items, along with a series of lockers lining the wall. The lockers have removable numbers above them, so visiting teams can have their own numbers over the lockers.
We went down another hallway that led to the field. On the way we saw some batting cages for practice.
We were allowed out on the dirt by the field but not the grass. The groundskeepers are fastidious about the conditions of the field. Being so close to the field was still awesome.
The tour guide showed us the various phones in the dugout. One connects to the bullpen, so the manager or a coach could check with the pitchers warming up. My daughter got to dial it. No one answered but we could hear the ringing in the distance (thanks to the empty stadium).
The last stop on our tour was to the clubhouse for the Nats Pack, the people who rile up the crowd during the game. Their accommodations are not nearly as luxurious as the players, but it's still nice to have a special place at the stadium.
We really enjoyed the tour. Sadly, the Nationals finished the season with barely more wins than losses (82-80), so no post-season excitement for us. The blood drive people did sign me up for their next drive, which is with the Capitals. I am pretty sure they aren't giving away free tickets and the drive and tour are at the practice arena in Arlington, Virginia. The location is a long drive and we are not that into hockey (even though the Capitals won the Stanley Cup last year). I'll probably return to the Nats blood drives in the spring of next year.
We drove in early and the park is a little spooky when there's nobody else there.
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| Nationals Park, sans fans |
I gave blood, which was the regular routine. I guess they expect kids to tag along because the organizers had a scavenger hunt that my children did while I was going through the paperwork and the bloodletting.
 |
| Paperwork area |
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| Scavenger hunting--finding the "BOOM!" |
After I was done and we'd all had a snack (or two--they were offering Pirates Booty which is a favorite for my daughter), we went on the tour. The first stop was the luxury suites. Interestingly, the cost of renting a suite is higher during the week than on weekends. The explanation was that businesses were more likely to rent for after-work functions, so they could charge more.
 |
| A fancy suite |
The suites are stocked with a bar and buffet and great seats for viewing the game. This particular suite was unique because of the pool table included.
 |
| Luxury suite |
 |
| View of the game from the suite seats |
 |
| Bar |
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| Buffet |
Down the hall from the suite was some interesting works of art.
First was a baseball bench made from bats and balls and bases!
 |
| Not so cosy looking, but really cool looking |
Above the bench is a baseball flag by Ron Kittle with several of the balls signed by team members from 2010 (when the flag was made).
 |
| Baseball flag! |
Nearby is a picture of Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. He started playing for the Washington Senators over a hundred years ago and is famous for great pitching and great sportsmanship. He was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
 |
| Walter Johnson |
A window showed the view to the new soccer stadium not far from Nats Park, though it was far enough not to get a good picture.
 |
| View to a soccer field |
 |
| Even zoomed in, it's not too clear |
Down the hall is a display of memoribilia from Shirley Povich, a famous DC sports reporter who covered the Washington Senators and had a long career.
 |
| Shirley Povich Hall, is what they should call it |
On the wall is Povich's personally scored program of Don Larsen's perfect game in game five of the 1956 World Series. It was the only perfect game in World Series history.
 |
| Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers |
In one of the conference rooms is another World Series record--the longest game when the Senators beat the Yankees 4 to 3 in 12 innings of play. The story is even more dramatic--that was the seventh game of the 1924 World Series, so it was the deciding game. Povich had a championship pin from that Series.
 |
| Score of the only DC team to win the World Series |
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| Pin in Povich's collection |
Povitch kept all his press pins from the World Series he covered. Back in the day, teams would send pins to the press so that they would have access to press boxes, club houses, and such during the World Series. One interesting pin is the Brooklyn Dodgers "Phantom pin" from the 1946 series. Teams would send out the pins before the end of the season. Occasionally teams didn't clinch their title until very late in the season, like in 1946. The Dodgers had a chance to make it but didn't. Just in case, they sent pins out before they were sure they would win.
 |
| Povitch pin collection |
 |
| The phantom pin! |
We went up to the press box, which is at the top of the stands. A lot of other stadiums have the press lower down with a better view of the game. The Nationals owners decided to save the good seats for the fans (and the suites) rather than the press.
 |
| View from the press box |
 |
| Urban renewal in the neighborhood |
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| Looking out over the edge |
Our tour guide pointed out some red chairs over in the high right-field stands. Those chairs are where Washington Nationals players hit home runs. All but one of the red chairs are due to Bryce Harper.
 |
| Stands with mis-matched chairs |
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| Close up |
The tour took us downstairs to the clubhouses. We were not able to go to the home clubhouse since the Nationals players leave personal items in their lockers. No one wants overenthusiastic fans filching stuff. We toured the visitor's clubhouse, which had plenty of interesting things to see.
 |
| Visitor's enterance |
The clubhouse has a snack area and a few tables with entertainment items, along with a series of lockers lining the wall. The lockers have removable numbers above them, so visiting teams can have their own numbers over the lockers.
 |
| Snack area |
 |
| Lockers and a table |
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| Games and other distractions for the visitors |
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| Looking cool by the lockers |
We went down another hallway that led to the field. On the way we saw some batting cages for practice.
 |
| Leaving the clubhouse |
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| Batting area |
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| Going out to the field |
We were allowed out on the dirt by the field but not the grass. The groundskeepers are fastidious about the conditions of the field. Being so close to the field was still awesome.
 |
| Home plate covered in case of rain? |
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| In the visitor's dugout |
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| View above the dugout |
The tour guide showed us the various phones in the dugout. One connects to the bullpen, so the manager or a coach could check with the pitchers warming up. My daughter got to dial it. No one answered but we could hear the ringing in the distance (thanks to the empty stadium).
 |
| Phones |
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| Calling for a relief pitcher |
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| My son on the field |
The last stop on our tour was to the clubhouse for the Nats Pack, the people who rile up the crowd during the game. Their accommodations are not nearly as luxurious as the players, but it's still nice to have a special place at the stadium.
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| Nats Pack hangout |
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| Nats Pack signs |
We really enjoyed the tour. Sadly, the Nationals finished the season with barely more wins than losses (82-80), so no post-season excitement for us. The blood drive people did sign me up for their next drive, which is with the Capitals. I am pretty sure they aren't giving away free tickets and the drive and tour are at the practice arena in Arlington, Virginia. The location is a long drive and we are not that into hockey (even though the Capitals won the Stanley Cup last year). I'll probably return to the Nats blood drives in the spring of next year.
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