Washington Nationals Baseball
The Montreal Expos is a Major League Baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The team came into existence by the name of Montreal Expos in 1969, along with the San Diego Padres; it adopted the name of Washington Nationals in 2005.
Washington had waited 34 years to see baseball return to RFK Stadium. In April 2005, George Bush emerged from the home dugout last night clad in a red Nationals warm-up jacket and strode to the RFK Stadium mound, he barely paused before firing a pitch -- high and a bit inside -- to Nationals catcher Brian Schneider. Baseball was back in Washington.
On April 4, 2005, Brad Wilkerson had the honor of being the first batter for the Washington Nationals and he promptly responded with the first hit in the new team's history. On April 6, 2005, the Nationals won their first-ever regular season game by beating the Phillies, 7-3. Brad Wilkerson made a first again on August 4, 2005 when he became the first Washington Nationals player to hit a grand slam.
RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium has been one of Washington's best sports venues since it opened in 1961. The stadium was originally used for both the National Football League's Washington Redskins and Major League Baseball's Washington Senators. RFK has been the home turf for pro sports, college athletics, and high school games. There have also been many concerts there.
U.S. presidents traditionally opened each season by throwing out the first ball in RFK Stadium. President George W. Bush, who was once a part-owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team formerly known as the Washington Senators, was the first president since Richard Nixon to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the first regular season game of the year at RFK Stadium on April 14, 2005.
There are 35 fast food stands located throughout RFK Stadium that offer a variety of food. The Sports Lounge has air-conditioned comfort and TV screens for watching the action. Other spaces for gathering include the Blue Room and the Rose Room. These rooms may be reserved singularly or in combination for seated dinners of 250 or stand up receptions for as many as 500 guests.