The Nationals are at it again.
The new stadium has Lincoln suites. Washington suites. Jefferson suites. See where I’m going with this? There are no Roosevelt suites. No Roosevelt concourse, not even a Roosevelt snack bar. Three of the Mount Rushmore Four are honored with suites and Teddy once more is overlooked just like the presidents race each game.
Did one of Roosevelt’s grandkids beat up Nats owner Ted Lerner long ago?
I find myself arguing more passionately over Teddy losing every mascot race than the current presidential campaign. Why does someone in the Nats front office think it’s funny to repeatedly degrade one of America’s greatest presidents? Losing all the races wasn’t enough — now he’s not included in the suites.
I’ve written it before. I’ll keep writing it — the Nats treatment of Roosevelt is flat out wrong. The image of a president whose accomplishments have him ranked among the top five should not be turned into a buffoon. Kids watching him lose races repeatedly will gain the mistaken impression the man was a loser.
Roosevelt was a man’s man. He braved machine gun fire to charge up San Juan Hill. After becoming the nation’s youngest president at 42 after William McKinley was slain, Roosevelt also survived an assassination attempt. He received a Nobel Peace Prize for ending the Russo-Japanese War.
Roosevelt embraced America’s greatness. He ensured the Panama Canal and was a “trust buster” against major corporations with a “Square Deal” on behalf of the common man. Indeed, Roosevelt was the first president to call for universal health care.
Ladies and gentleman, I propose all those seats where the common man watches our national pastime to be named just like the ones where the more affluent sit.
The Roosevelt suites. Yes, put me down for two in the bleachers to yell “Bully, bully” every time Ryan Zimmerman sends one my way. I’d rather sit with the GS-Joes anyway. Those are the people whom Roosevelt embraced. Those are the people who regularly cheer for Teddy to beat Lincoln, Jefferson and Washington.
Let’s hope the Nats end the nonsense and give Roosevelt a fair deal and run the races honestly. Anyone who claims they’re clean should drink water and report to human resources because there’s no way they weren’t fixed. Whatever marketing geek thinks Teddy always losing is cute needs a kick in the pants.
Nats — do the right thing. Treat Roosevelt with the respect he deserves.
Free Teddy!
If not, I’ll be back.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
