Nationals Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nationals Park

Nationals Park in 2019
Nationals Park Location in District of Columbia Show map of District of Columbia Nationals Park Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Address	1500 South Capitol Street SE
Location	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates	38°52′22″N 77°0′27″W / 38.87278°N 77.00750°W / 38.87278; -77.00750
Public transit	Washington Metro at Navy Yard–Ballpark
Parking	14 sanctioned parking lots or garages
Owner	Events DC (District of Columbia)
Operator	Washington Nationals
Capacity	41,373
Record attendance	45,966 (October 12, 2012 vs. Cardinals)
Field size	Left Field - 337 feet (103 m) Left-Center - 377 feet (115 m) Center Field - 402 feet (123 m) Right-Center - 370 feet (113 m) Right Field - 335 feet (102 m)
Surface	Kentucky bluegrass
Construction
Broke ground	May 4, 2006 (2006-05-04)
Opened	March 22, 2008 (2008-03-22) (college, George Washington Colonials) March 29, 2008 (2008-03-29) (exhibition game) March 30, 2008 (2008-03-30) (regular season)
Construction cost	$693 million ($942 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect	HOK Sport (now Populous) Devrouax & Purnell Architects - Planners
Project manager	Turner Brailsford & Dunlavey McKissack & McKissack
Structural engineer	ReStl Thornton Tomasetti
Services engineer	M-E Engineers JVP Engineers SIM-G Technologies
General contractor	Clark/Hunt/Smoot Joint Venture
Tenants
Washington Nationals (MLB) (2008–present)

Nationals Park is a cool baseball stadium located by the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C.. It's the home field for the Washington Nationals, a Major League Baseball team. When it opened in 2008, it was the first major sports stadium in the U.S. to be certified as a "green building." This means it was built to be good for the environment.

The stadium was designed by HOK Sport and Devrouax & Purnell Architects. It cost about $693 million to build. Most of the money came from the city of Washington, D.C. The stadium can hold 41,373 fans. From the upper seats on the first base side, you can even see the Washington Monument and the Capitol building!

Nationals Park on May 10, 2013, during a game

Nationals Park has hosted some really big games. In 2018, it held the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This was the first All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., since 1969. It also hosted games for the 2019 World Series, which was a huge event for the city.

Getting to Nationals Park

Nationals Park is in the Southeast part of Washington, D.C. It sits right on the Anacostia River waterfront. You can get there by car using major highways like Interstate 395 and Interstate 295.

The easiest way to get to the stadium is by using the Washington Metro train system. The Navy Yard–Ballpark station on the Green Line is just one block away. Many fans use this station on game days.

Parking right next to the stadium is limited. There are 14 official parking lots and garages. Some fans used to take a free shuttle from RFK Stadium on game days. You can also take a Metrobus or even a water taxi from nearby cities.

If you like to bike, you're in luck! Nationals Park encourages cyclists. They offer free valet bicycle parking in Garage C. There are also 110 bike racks around the stadium.

The Story of Nationals Park

Choosing the Perfect Spot

After the Expos baseball team decided to leave Montreal, Washington, D.C., wanted them to move to their city. City leaders looked at different places for a new baseball stadium. On September 21, 2004, they chose the spot near the Anacostia waterfront.

Building the Stadium

Nationals Park under construction in September 2007, with the U.S. Capitol in the background

Building the stadium was a big project. It was planned to be finished in less than two years. The architects and builders worked closely together to make sure everything was done on time. Construction officially began in May 2006.

First Games and Big Wins

The 2008 Washington Nationals season was the first for the team at Nationals Park. The very first game played there was a college baseball game. The George Washington University Colonials played against Saint Joseph's University on March 22, 2008. The Colonials won 9–4!

The Washington Nationals played their first game at the park on March 29, 2008. It was an exhibition game against the Baltimore Orioles, and the Nationals won 3–0. The first official MLB game was on March 30, 2008, against the Atlanta Braves. President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch.

The Nationals won that first official game 3–2. Ryan Zimmerman hit a "walk-off home run," which means he hit a home run that won the game in the final inning. This was a super exciting start for the team in their new home!

Exciting Seasons and Updates

2009 Season Highlights

The Nationals made some cool improvements to the park in 2009.

• The Red Porch restaurant got bigger with more tables.
• Three statues were added to honor baseball legends: Walter Johnson, Frank Howard, and Josh Gibson.
• A giant Washington Nationals hat was placed above the team store entrance.
• New message boards were installed to help fans find their way.

Sadly, a famous baseball announcer, Harry Kalas, passed away at the park before a game in 2009. Both Nationals and Phillies fans honored him with applause.

2010 Season Highlights

In 2010, the press box was repainted blue. A highly anticipated pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, made his first major league start at Nationals Park. He struck out 14 batters, setting a new team record!

2011 Season Highlights

More changes came in 2011. A party tent was removed to give better views of the U.S. Capitol. New food stands opened, including places for barbecue, fries, Mexican food, and Shake Shack burgers. The park also became home to the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

2012 Season Highlights

In 2012, the Nationals renamed the park "Natitude Park" for a series against the Philadelphia Phillies. This was to encourage more Nationals fans to come. It worked, and the park was full of Nationals supporters! Nationals Park also started hosting 11 AM games on The Fourth of July, a tradition that continues. The Nationals made the playoffs for the first time since moving to Washington that year.

2013 Season Highlights

The team owner asked the D.C. Mayor about adding a retractable roof to Nationals Park. However, the idea was quickly turned down because of the high cost and design challenges.

2014 Season Highlights

In 2014, baseball star Albert Pujols hit his 500th career home run at Nationals Park. The Nationals made the playoffs again that year, hosting games in the 2014 National League Division Series.

2015 NHL Winter Classic

On January 1, 2015, Nationals Park hosted a special outdoor hockey game called the 2015 NHL Winter Classic. The Washington Capitals played the Chicago Blackhawks on a rink built right on the baseball field. The Capitals won 3–2 in an exciting finish!

2015 Season Highlights

During a game in 2015, there were three power outages that affected the stadium lights. The game had to be stopped and finished the next day.

2016 Season Highlights

The Nationals returned to the playoffs in 2016, playing more exciting games at Nationals Park.

2017 Season Highlights

Before the 2017 season, new premium seats called the MGM National Harbor Dugout Club were added. A new, better organ was also installed in the press box. This gave the organist a private room and a great view of the field. The Nationals made the playoffs for the fourth time this year.

2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Nationals Park hosted the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 17, 2018. It was a big event, with the American League beating the National League 8–6.

2019 World Series

Nationals Park hosted games 3, 4, and 5 of the 2019 World Series. Even though the Nationals lost those games at home, they went on to win the World Series in seven games!

2021 Event

On July 17, 2021, an incident happened outside Nationals Park during a game. The game was stopped and finished the next day. Officials said the stadium and fans were not the targets.

2024 Season Upgrades

The Nationals play the Chicago Cubs on September 1, 2024

The 2024 season brought big changes to Nationals Park. A huge new video screen, called a jumbotron, was installed. The stadium also got upgraded ribbon boards and new LED lights. These new lights can even change colors for home runs and wins! Audio and video systems were also improved to give fans a better experience.

Washington Nationals Average Attendance

Cool Features of Nationals Park

The exterior of Nationals Park

Nationals Park has 41,373 seats and 79 special suites. These suites are named after presidents like Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. The owners spent extra money to make the park even more exciting for fans.

An aerial view of Nationals Park. The old RFK Stadium is barely visible at the top.

There's a huge scoreboard in right field that is 102 feet long. The main scoreboard is even bigger, at 101 feet long and 47 feet high. That's more than five times the size of the old scoreboard at RFK Stadium!

In 2007, it was announced that there would be a grove of cherry blossom trees beyond the left-field seats. These trees give the park a special look that reminds people of Washington, D.C.

One of the best features is the view of the U.S. Capitol from the upper deck. On sunny days, you can even see the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral. The park also has popular local food stands like Ben's Chili Bowl hot dogs.

The Budweiser Brew House is a restaurant in center field. It offers different kinds of food, not just typical ballpark snacks. It has windows that open up to give a great view of the field.

The press box, where reporters work, is named after Shirley Povich. He was a famous sports writer for the Washington Post.

In 2010, the stadium added a "Ring of Honor." This celebrates famous players from the old Washington Senators, the Negro league Washington Homestead Grays, and the Montreal Expos. These players are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Since 2011, a submarine horn blasts after every Nationals home run and win. This is a fun way to honor the park's location in the Navy Yard neighborhood. After a World Series win, the song "We Are the Champions" by Queen is played.

In 2018, Nationals Park started using a bullpen cart to bring pitchers from the bullpen to the mound.

In 2021, the Nationals partnered with Bet MGM to open a sportsbook at the park. Fans can place bets using their mobile devices inside the stadium.

Seating Options

Screech, the Washington Nationals mascot

Some fans in the upper level can see the dome of the Capitol.

Nationals Park has many different seating areas. There are five main levels: field, mezzanine, suite, gallery, and upper gallery.

There are also three special clubs for fans with premium tickets.

• The FIS Champions Club is a large, two-story lounge. It has food, TVs, and views of the Anacostia River.
• The PNC Diamond Club is right behind the dugouts. It offers a gourmet buffet and all-inclusive food and drinks.
• The Terra Club seats are the most expensive, located directly behind home plate. They also include gourmet food and drinks and access to a lounge with views of the batting cages.

The number of seats in the stadium has changed a little over the years. When it first opened in 2008, it had 41,888 seats. As of 2023, it has 41,373 seats.

The upper deck of Nationals Park has a unique split. This design is a tribute to the old Griffith Stadium, which was another baseball park in Washington, D.C.

Other Events at Nationals Park

Nationals Park isn't just for baseball! It also hosts concerts and other fun events.

Hockey Games

On January 1, 2015, the National Hockey League (NHL) held its "Winter Classic" game at Nationals Park. The Washington Capitals played the Chicago Blackhawks outdoors on a special hockey rink built on the field. The Capitals won the game 3–2!

Concerts and Music

Many famous musicians have performed concerts at Nationals Park.

Papal Mass

On April 17, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI held a special Mass at Nationals Park. About 47,000 people attended this event during his visit to the United States. Many more people wanted tickets than were available!

Images for kids

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  Opening Night, March 30, 2008

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See also

In Spanish: Nationals Park para niños