(Brad Horn/The Washington Post)
Even before Teddy Roosevelt won the final regular season Presidents’ race last fall, there was speculation that a fifth president would join the four Rushmores in 2013. The team would not confirm any of this, other than admitting that they were already working on plans to keep the race fresh and interesting moving forward.
(That didn’t stop places like DCist from running extensive polls on the matter of who the next President should be. FDR won.)
Well, welcome to reality. The Nats set the stage on Wednesday by announcing on Twitter “a major Presidential announcement” at NatsFest this Saturday. And in case there were any doubt about what the news would be, the team made it official on Thursday with this Tweet: “The rumors are true – there will be a #5thPresident racing in 2013! But who will it be? Find out at #NatsFest!”
This leaves us about 48 hours to debate in earnest the best question ever: Whose Presidential visage do you want to see during Saturday’s grand reveal? I want your choice, and any potential pros or cons, in the comment section below. For example:
Woodrow Wilson: Pro, would immediately be embraced by the Nats’ wonky, bespectacled fanbase.
Woodrow Wilson: Con, “Peace without victory?” Sounds like loser talk.
Ulysses S. Grant: Pro, could get Sherman to assist whenever the Braves come to town.
Ulysses S. Grant: Con, I probably just got fired.
Richard Nixon: Pro, could sabotage every race with a variety of dirty tricks.
Richard Nixon: Con. Indeed.
Votes have already been streaming into my Twitter account. Some examples:
* Racing FDR in a wheelchair or I’m not interested.
* James K. Polk or I walk.
* Grover Cleveland will be competing in two out of every three races.
* Andrew Jackson on a horse with a sword or die.
* Grover Cleveland will be competing in two out of every three races.
* William Henry Harrison. 32 days and now – the Presidents Race.
* Fillmore!
“Obviously, it should be William Howard Taft,” City Paper’s Will Sommer wrote. “Taft brings everything: The Nationals’ costume designers get a challenge, and all the lesser-known presidents have a representative.”
“Harding may have been a terrible president, but he was a devoted baseball fan. That counts for a lot,” wrote BallWonk, who devoted about 7 billion more tweets to the subject.
The normally plugged-in Let Teddy Win site, meanwhile, speculated about JFK, who is always one of the most popular suggestions.
So have it, clever Washingtonians who know way too much about American history! Who should it be, and why? Tell us what you think over in our forum.
