I said goodbye to RFK with a bit of a heavy heart. Granted my story is a bit different from those who grew up loving the Senators and had to say goodbye to RFK twice, but that last game was still a monumental moment for me. I fell in love with baseball under the lights of RFK. I learned the game, made great friends, and finally have a team to call my own. My transition to becoming a Nats fan did not happen over night. I attended only a handful of games in 2005. My 25 games in 2006 seemed excessive at the time. I had no idea what the summer of 2007 would bring, but 82 games later, it’s still hard to believe the summer I had was real.

This summer RFK became my home away from home, and strangely most of the time I felt more comfortable there. I know the stadium is old, and not suited for baseball, but you have to admit it has a charm that you can’t deny. For me its like that old pair of ragged weekend jeans that you just can’t seem to throw away. They, like the stadium are comfortable, probably not that flattering, but serve their purpose well. I think it’s always hard to say goodbye to a place where you have made so many great memories. When we left the stadium on Sunday it was like we were graduating from high school, saying goodbye to something that in the blink of an eye becomes your past is difficult. It’s not just the old stadium I will miss, but mostly the friends I have made. After spending so much time at RFK this summer, I now have a summer family and I am really going to miss them all during the off season.

Sunday’s game was just about perfect. Could we have hoped for a more beautiful day? The ladies and I splurged for the last game and sat in the first row of 225, all game in the sun, and we had a great view. I think it was during the top of the 7th inning that I took a moment to look around. The stadium was packed and I really noticed a sea of red. I got goose bumps, its something I won’t forget. My emotions ran high from then on. While, standing with the ladies and singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” one last time at RFK, I shed my first tear. When the Chief came in for the 9th to close the game and the stadium, my heart lept, I don’t think I will ever forget that final out. The Nats closed RFK the same way they opened it in 2005, a win with a score of 5-3. Manny’s words during the post game ceremony were heartfelt and made me proud to be a Nats fan. The video of 2007 moments flashed my summer before my eyes. I was there for most of them. From opening day, to that horribly cold April, to our first win, to that memorable Mother’s Day, the 4th of July, our winning month of August, and countless games in between. For the past two summers RFK has been like my vacation home. I am truly sad to see it go. When home plate was removed I had a bittersweet feeling, sad to say goodbye to something that had been such a big part of my life, but excited for something new.
The next weekend, K and I traveled to Philly for the last series. For the first time this season, we attended three sold out games. I felt like an outsider for much of the weekend, but I couldn’t escape the feelings of excitement and anticipation in the hearts of the Phillies fans. Their energy was electric. With Hamels stellar performance on Friday night – 13 strike outs – thousands of white towels waved in the air, and every time a Nat struck out, the stadium erupted. When the Nationals won on Saturday, thanks to Chico, the atmosphere was just as exciting. The Phillies were on the verge of October baseball, and everyone in Philly loved them that weekend. Sunday’s game was a blur of white and red. K and I had really great seats behind the Nats dugout, and were happy to see a solid number of Nats fans made the trip. As the game wore on, the excitement for the Phillies grew. When the scoreboard in the outfield flashed the final score of the Mets vs. Marlins game, the whole place went nuts. I have never heard anything like it in my life. I had such goose bumps, the emotion these fans felt for their team was overwhelming. The place got even louder when Wily Mo struck out to end the game. Fans were standing, crying, cheering; the players mobbed each other on the field. This was it, October baseball, playoffs, what they had worked so hard all season for. In that moment K and I felt a bit out of place, so we quickly and quietly left the stadium and let Philadelphia celebrate their successes.
Despite loosing the game we walked to the taxi with smiles on our faces. To be a part of that, to taste the excitement, gave us a glimpse of what we will have in Washington soon. Although saying goodbye to RFK was difficult, traveling to Philly and seeing the magic we will have someday, only made me excited for the future. If the new stadium brings me half as many wonderful memories as RFK, then it will be well worth the move. Thanks to everyone who made my time at RFK so special!

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 4th, 2007 at 9:10 am and is filed under Events, Game Recaps, New Nationals Park, Road Trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.