Nats will postpone World Series banner, ring ceremony until fans can return to ballpark
By Gino Terrell
There is speculation the 2020 MLB season could be underway without fans in ballparks. However, the Washington Nationals will wait until fans return to hang their 2019 World Series banner and conduct their ring distribution ceremony.
With the MLB speculating to have a baseball season without fans, there is an occasion the Washington Nationals won’t do without them.
The Nationals will wait to hang their 2019 World Series Champions banner once fans are able to return to the ballpark. This will include the team’s ring distribution ceremony. This event was originally slated to be celebrated during their home opener on April 2. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this event may not happen until the 2021 MLB season, according to Nationals’ Mike Rizzo, president of baseball operations.
“Those are once-in-a-lifetime things to do and our fanbase is such a big factor in helping us win that thing. They earned it, they deserve to be involved in it and we’re going to wait for them to do it,” Rizzo said on Sirius XM.
When the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in game seven of the 2019 World Series they made history. Among winning their first ever World Series in franchise history, they set many milestones along the way.
The Nationals clinched a Wild Card spot after a 19-31 start. They won their first playoff series in team history defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS winning the series 3-2. At the time, the Dodgers were reining back-to-back National League Champions. Afterwards, the Nationals swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, 4-0.
The 2019 World Series was the first MLB World Series to ever have the road team win all games. Nationals were the beneficiaries as they took game seven in Houston.
The Nationals won the city its first World Series title in 95 years. In 1924, the Washington Senators won the World Series for the nation’s capitol. That franchise relocated in 1961 and is known today as the Minnesota Twins.