April 19, 2007

Nationals Honor Virginia Tech, Fall to Braves : "It was an honor to wear that hat," Washington center fielder Ryan Church said after his team's 6-4 loss. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families."

read story | posted by BornIcon to Baseball at 7:10 AM CDT (14 comments total)

Little gestures like means so much to a whole lot of people. Beautiful~

posted by BornIcon at 8:47 AM CDT on April 19

That's a nice tribute, though using several different models of caps is a little bush league. I didn't realize how close DC is to Virginia until I visited relatives in Ashburn, which was near Dulles and one of the prospective sites for the Nats' stadium.

Dumb stuff like sport is a good thing to focus on during trying times, and I hope the Nats have provided a little solace to a university community that faces the doubled blow of that gunman's obscene multimedia manifesto.

posted by rcade at 9:21 AM CDT on April 19

Absolutley rcade but I wouldn't call the different caps as being 'bush league' since it kind of was a spur of the moment thing where the Nationals organization were the ones that actually decided in doing this little gesture without the actual approval from MLB. They got the caps from a sports store in the nearby area and they only carried so much of the same colors so that explains why all the hats weren't exactly a match but they still represented V-Tech. It's like the saying goes, 'It's the thought that counts.'~

posted by BornIcon at 9:30 AM CDT on April 19

I was there, it was pretty cool. It was such a last minute job they didn't get the caps there until the Nats took the field for the second inning. They pretty much cleaned out the store BornIcon mentioned, and had to dig a box out of the back, I heard.

The players in the game at the time all had the same style cap on, but the coaches and bullpen (and one bench player) ended up with different ones. So at least at first, the team in the field looked uniform.

And kudos to MLB for not being obstructionist on this. I suspect the NFL would have shot this idea down.

posted by stevis at 10:18 AM CDT on April 19

I think the different caps actually gives the gesture more credibility. It's more honest and impulsive - not sanctified via committee, sponsored and commercialized. The mis-matched hats actually elevate the spirit of the thing.

In fact - a perfect gesture of commraderie and thoughtfulness. Hats off.

(Way too many puns.)

Aside: What is it with the world today that killing others and yourself has become an attractive job opportunity? And kudos to the media for resisting the urge to make this guy a celebr-

Oh.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:10 AM CDT on April 19

Mickey and Mallory are on line one.

posted by SummersEve at 11:27 AM CDT on April 19

I think the different caps actually gives the gesture more credibility. It's more honest and impulsive - not sanctified via committee, sponsored and commercialized. The mis-matched hats actually elevate the spirit of the thing.

That's a great point weedy. I was leaning towards thinking that this was another example of taking advantage of a tragic situation, but your comment above gives me hope that maybe we can still make kind gestures that aren't contrived for personal/corporate gain.

All hail weedy.

posted by brainofdtrain at 11:31 AM CDT on April 19

Unfortunately, in situations like this, someone is always looking for a way to profit over someone's pain & suffering. I'm not insinuating that the Nationals had a hidden agenda in wearing the V-Tech hats (it was a great and classy gesture) but I'm sure that some sick, twisted individual(s) will eventually try to though~

posted by BornIcon at 11:49 AM CDT on April 19

There was a bomb threat here in Douglas County, Kansas this morning that affected all schools in the county, (including the University of Kansas.) There was a total lock down and parents were told to come pick up their kids.

In the wake of what happened in previous incidents, how can you not take the copycat threat seriously?

posted by hawkguy at 12:21 PM CDT on April 19

Classy by the Nationals. Dead on by Weedy (that is not a tasteless pun by the way).

posted by gradys_kitchen at 1:34 PM CDT on April 19

I think it's a great tribute, spontaneous, sympathetic, and quietly respectful. Well done to the Nationals. Now, if only they had won...

posted by Bonkers at 3:11 PM CDT on April 19

There was a bomb threat here in Douglas County, Kansas this morning that affected all schools in the county, (including the University of Kansas.) There was a total lock down and parents were told to come pick up their kids.

I live in Minnesota where there was a bomb threat at the University in town on Wednesday closing it down the whole day. At the school where I work, a kid threatened to go get a gun on the same day. Wasn't a good day in this small town.

posted by jmd82 at 9:08 PM CDT on April 19

My kids school also had a bomb threat today also, this is just ridiculous. We live in just a small township. Weedy, you hit the nail right on the head.

Although I must say I wasn't sure if I would ever read this on spofi.
All hail weedy.

posted by jojomfd1 at 11:26 PM CDT on April 19

Both of these teams were winners in that game.

posted by longgreenline at 12:54 AM CDT on April 21

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