The Washington Nationals announced quite a GOATED giveaway on Monday.
On Saturday, May 16, the Nationals will hand out Alex Ovechkin ‘First Pitch’ bobbleheads to the first 20,000 fans who attend the team’s ‘Beltway Series’ game against the Baltimore Orioles. Tickets can be purchased through the Nationals’ website.
The bobble celebrates the Capitals’ memorable Stanley Cup celebration at Nats Park on June 9, 2018, after the team won its first championship two days prior in Las Vegas.
That special day began with Ovechkin walking out of the Nationals’ dugout and hoisting the Stanley Cup in front of 37,701 cheering fans.
Ovechkin then then threw out two ceremonial first pitches. (The first one was a tad high, so Ovi took a mulligan.)
The bobblehead nails all the important details of Ovi from that day, from his large playoff beard and championship hat to his shorts and sandals. Ovechkin, who shoots right-handed, is also featured throwing the baseball with his left arm correctly.
Other memorable moments from that day include Christian Djoos wearing one of RMNB’s ‘Djoos is Loose’ shirts; a press conference between Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson where the Capitals defenseman suggested Ovechkin “was breaking;” the team singing “We Are The Champions” and chugging beers on live TV; inviting a Capitals fan into their suite; Ovechkin bear-hugging Nationals fans and; Alex Chiasson ending up with Ovi’s Nationals jersey.
After the game, the team would invent the Cup Stand and go swimming in the fountains of the Georgetown Waterfront. Other players, including Jakub Vrana, Andre Burakovsky, Braden Holtby, Brett Connolly, and TJ Oshie got tattoos. At the end of the night, Ovechkin ended up at Cafe Milano with several other teammates where they ran into Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Ovechkin has thrown the ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Park three times. The last time he did so was before Game 4 of the 2019 National League Division Series. The Nationals would go on to win the World Series and have their own epic celebration at Capital One Arena.
The Nationals will also give away hockey jerseys on April 18.
