One of the most joyous days in Nationals history came on a fairly random Saturday afternoon in June 2018.
The Nats won that day, defeating the Giants, 7-5. Bryce Harper homered. Gio Gonzalez lasted only 3 1/3 innings, making him ineligible for the win. Five relievers went the rest of the way to close it out, with Sean Doolittle notching the save. The outcome had zero bearing on the team’s overall fortunes during what proved to be a disappointing season.
You probably remember none of those details. What you probably do remember is who was in attendance that afternoon at Nationals Park: Lord Stanley.
Yes, only 36 hours after he was first hoisted in a hockey arena in Las Vegas, Stanley was hoisted in a ballpark in Washington by the newly crowned champions of the NHL. In their first official D.C. celebration since winning The Cup, the Capitals came to South Capitol Street to be honored before and during the Nats’ matinee game.
Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom shared their joy with Ryan Zimmerman and Max Scherzer. Barry Trotz and Davey Martinez, who had been texting each other for several months, finally met in person and shared coaching philosophies. And two local franchises celebrated together, one congratulating the other one winning its long-awaited first championship, one hoping to help inspire the other to win its long-awaited first title.