A Trip to the New Nationals Stadium
By Ben Levin
Pictures by Jay Mallin
View photos fr
om the tour of the new stadium: http://client.jaymallinphotos.com/stadium/
On October 14, 2007, three Capitol City Major League players – Ben Levin (Yankees), Ben Hartheimer (Giants) and Jacob Mallin (Cubs)– and their dads took a three-hour tour of the new Nationals stadium being built near the
Anacostia
River.
The tour was given by Gregory S. Colevas. He is the Executive Vice President of Clark Construction Co., which is building the stadium. Clark also built Camden Yards in Baltimore;
Petco
Park in San Diego; the
MCI
Center (Wizards & Caps) and many other baseball parks and arenas. The cost of this stadium is $425 million. That works out to about $10,400 per seat – way more than Fed Ex Field (only $8,500 per seat). Nine hundred people work on the stadium, usually between 6:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. During our tour, we learned that this new stadium will have many unique features, including an HDTV scoreboard a nice restaurant in center field. There will also be a restaurant where fans can watch pitchers keep sharp throwing between innings – under the dugout! Grass will be installed this month. This stadium is also very environmentally friendly, because many of the features (like steel) are recycled.
One of the coolest things we learned is that when the hole for the stadium was being dug, workers found old Coke bottles and other glass bottles from over 100 years ago! We also learned that workers love building this stadium. Mr. Colevas told us that “it’s exciting to be a part of this.” Because the workers know they will be coming to this stadium to watch the team, “it’s easier to get them to come to work.” In my opinion, this will be one of the coolest stadiums in the country. And so if you like the Nationals, you should go check out the stadium.
A Trip to the Old Nationals Stadium with Lisa Jensen
By Gaby McLish (CCLL Major League Player, Tigers)
At last year’s
Lafayette auction Lisa Jensen, Lafayette Elementary third grade teacher and CCLL parent (Cooper Jensen, Minor League; Jeremy Jensen, National League) won the WTOP auction item, which entitled her to a night at a Nationals game with a sports reporter from the radio station. When she first arrived at RFK stadium, she went on the field- pre-game-and met many of the Nationals administrators. Then she spent the rest of the game with 2 WTOP reporters who showed her what it was like to be a sports reporter. They also took her all around to the other media booths (tv, radio play by play). After the game (the Nats won!), she went to Manny Acta’s press conference and into the locker room for player interviews. She ended up getting to meet Brian Schneider and walk him down to the parking lot exit and talk to him about his new baby. What an incredible opportunity for Lisa and what an incredible opportunity for Gaby McLish, CCLL Major League Player for the Tigers, to interview Ms. Jensen about her experience. Below is what Ms. Jensen shared with Gaby.
Gaby: Did you like meeting the reporters?
Ms. Jensen: Yes, the reporters were nice and I got to see things I wasn’t really supposed to.
G: What was it like in the press conference?
MJ: There were a lot less people than I thought there was going to be and a smaller room.
G: Did you get to ask questions at the press conference?
MJ: I was allowed to but I didn’t.
G: Did you feel like a reporter doing all the stuff they do?
MJ: I felt what it was like to be one, but I didn’t really feel like one.
G: Did you get to talk to the players?
MJ: I talked to Brian Schneider about his new baby and got to walk out with him to the parking lot exit. I got to see the other players in the dugout and the locker room.
G: Do you have a favorite player?
MJ: Brian Schneider.
G: Are you a big Nats fan?
MJ: I am a huge fan
G: What was the best part of it all?
MJ: My favorite part would be meeting the reporters but I liked all of it, and the Nats won the game!
