WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Political divisions were swept to one side as Washington baseball fans erupted in cheers near midnight on Wednesday to celebrate the city’s first World Series title since 1924 after the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2.
Oct 30, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Nationals fans celebrate after the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in game seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park. The Washington Nationals won the World Series winning four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Despite wet weather, thousands of fans celebrated after the Nationals came from behind in Houston to win Game 7 of Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship series.
Hardy fans braved a watch party at the Nationals’ stadium on the Washington waterfront.
Video footage posted on social media showed a driver pumping the horn on his truck surrounded by screaming fans after the game. In another video, a crowd of people celebrated in the street just a few blocks from the White House.
“It’s a pretty big deal for the city. It’s an amazing win by the team,” said Washington resident William Lee, who was wearing a Nationals cap. He watched the game on the big screen at the city’s indoor arena where it was shown after a Washington Wizards basketball game.
“It’s going to energize people,” said another fan, Dave Gelfand, from nearby Potomac, Maryland, who was wearing a Nationals shirt.
Nelson Palomo of Virginia said he “freaked out” when the game ended and started jumping up and down.
“It was a great feeling,” he said.
The city’s last World Series victory came 95 years ago, when the Washington Senators defeated the New York Giants in seven games.
The Nationals’ run to the World Series title united fans from across the ideological spectrum even as Washington is embroiled in a growing impeachment inquiry into Republican President Donald Trump led by Democrats in Congress.
Trump was booed by Nationals fans and regaled with chants of “lock him up” when he attended the fifth game of the series on Sunday in Washington.
The Nationals have played in Washington since 2005 when the franchise, formerly known as the Montreal Expos, moved from Canada.
Reporting by Eric Beech; Writing by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Lincoln Feast.