Teddy, one of the beloved Washington Nationals racing president, stopped by Pinstripes on Tuesday afternoon for a sparsely attended, but memorable Opening Day viewing party.
The event was not highly publicized and was not even on my radar until Tuesday morning when it appeared as a sponsored link on my Facebook timeline. I shared the Facebook post and retweeted the Eventbrite page to @NatsGalleryBlog followers on Twitter to spread the word about the event.
The invitation promised happy hour specials, free bowling and bocce, Nationals prizes and a visit from the racing presidents.
The availability of DC Brau, a District Drafts classic at Nationals Park, made choosing a happy hour beverage easy and the barbecue chicken pizza was very tasty.
Perhaps the most exciting moment of the afternoon, aside from Bryce Harper’s home run, was the visit from Teddy. Teddy made a grand entrance down a staircase and was extremely excited about Opening Day. He was so excited that he started running around the entrance to the bar, high fiving customers, and enthusiastically clapping his hands.
Teddy stuck around for trivia which started after the second inning. Prizes for correct answers included a Ryan Zimmerman autographed baseball, a Tanner Roark autographed red hat, and two pairs of Nationals tickets.
I answered the first question correctly and went home (err…to my 7:10pm class) with the autographed baseball.
I won a #Zim baseball at @PinstripesBBB during trivia! Thanks @Teddy26Nats! @Nationals pic.twitter.com/M4SJoQ3snN
— NatsGalleryBlog (@NatsGalleryBlog) April 4, 2016
Having viewing parties when the Nationals are on the road can be a great way to keep fans engaged and excited. If the events are more widely promoted within circles of Nationals fans, they can have the potential to be successful events.
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Do you want to know how you would have done during trivia? Here were some of the questions:
Q: What was the Nationals Spring Training record?
A: 19-4 (.826)
Where did the Nationals play when they first moved to Washington?
A: RFK Stadium
Max Scherzer threw two no-hitters during the 2015 season? How many pitchers have accomplished this feat?
A: Five
Q: What awards, besides MVP, did Bryce Harper win for his 2015 performance?
A: Silver Slugger Award and NL Hank Aaron Award
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