Baseball in DC: Where's the Party?

I'm both troubled and elated by the news of Major League Baseball coming to Washington.

It's exciting, for sure. I grew up six blocks from Yankee Stadium, and I'm happy that DC kids will again know the thrill of living close to a ballpark, able to easily root, root, root for the home team. Baseball always brings a festive air to the surrounding area, and maybe – just maybe – it actually will provide the catalyst for an Anacostia waterfront revitalization.

Swampoodle Grounds, Washington D.C. (1888)

But the financing issue is shaky. Under this scheme to make DC businesses foot the bill, the costs eventually will be passed on to consumers. And forget about the money the District would bag selling the name of the stadium to the highest corporate bidder. That gets turned over to the ball club.

Sure, the District can charge $5.5 million a year in rent to the new ball club, but the city is limited to using the stadium for only 12 non-baseball events a year. What kind of deal is that?

Griffith Stadium

And why is it that Mayor Anthony Williams can find $400 million for a baseball stadium but not the money to continue funding a vast array of social programs?

I don’t like the way this deal was written behind closed doors, with little input from DC residents. And I especially don't like the way it's being presented as a done deal, before the city council approves it. Let's wait and see what kind of grassroots pressures surface in the next few weeks.

The 1944 Homestead Grays

But as unhappy as I am with all of this, what saddens me most is that there was no public celebration of the news – for it truly is a thing to cheer about. Williams really dropped the ball on this one. I would have had busloads of school kids at the press conference and called for a huge public party to celebrate the news.

Had this been an announcement that the Olympics were coming, any city in the world would have erupted in joy. Getting a baseball team is a much bigger deal because it's not a one-shot event, but will last at least the 30 years the new owner must commit to stay in Washington.

This was a golden opportunity to rally public support and create excitement. Lord knows we residents of Washington need something to cheer about. But to Mayor Williams, it was just another opportunity to stand with his fat-cat friends and move some money around. Mister Mayor, your political acumen is bush league.

All Photos Courtesy of
www.baseball-almanac.com

Baseball in Washington, D.C. (Images of America) [amazon.com]

Beyond the Shadow of the Senators : The Untold Story of the Homestead Grays and the Integration of Baseball [amazon.com]

Damn Senators: My Grandfather and the Story of Washington's Only World Series Championship [amazon.com]

My Time At Bat [amazon.com]