DC gives Nationals a victory parade after the team’s first World Series championship
It’s been a little over a year since the Washington Capitals took home the Stanley Cup and partied their way through the nation’s capital.
On Saturday, Washington celebrated another victory with a parade.
The Washington Nationals beat all the odds this week and won the team’s very first World Series against the Houston Astros — the team with the best win-loss record of the regular season. It was truly a victory for underdogs everywhere.
The Major League Baseball champions, loaded on red tour buses, paraded down a route starting near the National Mall on Constitution Avenue and 15th Street NW. The parade continued down Constitution, and culminated in a rally at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Third Street NW.
The parade began at 2 p.m., and yes, there were times the sounds of “Baby Shark” filled the Washington air.
Nationals owner Ted Lerner told the crowd: “This is for the city that’s always believed, the players who always fought and the fans who were with us every step of the way.”
Lerner jokingly told the veterans on the team he wants to be called “Grandpa Shark” from now on.
Ryan Zimmerman, a first baseman who has been with the team since its first season in Washington, echoed the rest of team in thanking the fans.
“You guys are great. You guys are behind us all the time,” he said. “Any time we go out to dinner, any time we’re walking on the street, you guys have always been so supportive and so nice to us. I truly believe this is the greatest city to play sports in the world.”
Lerner joked, “It’s not often people look at Washington, DC, and say, ‘These guys really love each other.'”
World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg said the season — in which the National had a miserable 19-31 record with 112 games to go — was a “special ride.”
“It took all 25 of us,” the pitcher said. (We) could see that every single day. We were pulling for each other.”
More than 800,000 fans came out last year to celebrate the Capitals’ win, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. This year looked just as crowded. The crowd on Constitution Avenue was so thick there were no empty spots on the sidewalk.
The transit authority ran extra trains and buses to handle the crowds.
The Nationals aren’t the only Washington sports team bringing home trophies this year.
The Washington Mystics prevailed over the Connecticut Sun earlier this month, winning the WNBA Finals for the first time.
The team’s championship parade won’t be until next spring, though, to accommodate players’ other basketball commitments.
