The Washington Nationals swapped out their baseball bats for lightsabers on Sunday, as their stadium hosted its first-ever “Star Wars Day”.
The Nats were playing “the Galactic Empire of the West, the Los Angeles Dodgers” and the organisation went all out to provide what it called an “entire sensory experience” – complete with photo booths, costumed characters, free cups shaped like R2-D2 and “a DJ spinning the latest tracks heard at the Mos Eisley Cantina”.
It also appeared that Yoda had taken over the Nationals’ Twitter feed.
Pregame ceremonies, underway they are. #NatsStarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/87noM8lzOT
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2015
The team’s official mascots got in on the act, with Screech the eagle donning a Jedi robe and challenging Dodgers to lightsaber duels.
Sorry Yasiel.. good forces will always beat evil. #NatsStarWarsDay #Nats #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/BMsWEK9Eqo
— SCREECH (@ScreechTheEagle) July 19, 2015
.@ScreechTheEagle, I joined today. Hmmm #NatsStarWarsDay #LilScreech pic.twitter.com/IP1rWYUYOi
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2015
And if you thought that the Nationals’ famous Racing Presidents would be too dignified for such things, you would have been wrong. Behold: Teddy Roosevelt dressed as Chewbacca.
Know how to dress up for the occasion, our Presidents do. #NatsStarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/4bCvM7b4ZT
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2015
An epic battle, this #PresRace did have. #NatsStarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/JdiZs3B18q
— William Howard Taft (@NatsBigChief27) July 19, 2015
Even the groundskeepers were dressed up, although some looked about as excited by the idea as Luke Skywalker after Uncle Owen tells him to do his chores.
Who knew groundskeeping was part of Jedi training? #NatsStarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/8kiXs3yDLK
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2015
Despite 90F-plus temperatures and the onslaught of horrifying bobble-headed Wookies, the fans seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Empire Takes Selfies pic.twitter.com/2Ab2NsSKLE
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2015
Well done @Nationals, well done! #StarWarsDay pic.twitter.com/25vInGNXpT
— Katherine Miller (@table81) July 19, 2015
As of this writing, the force was not, however, with the Nationals. At the top of the ninth inning, they were losing 3-0 to the Dodgers.
