Tens of thousands of people congregated on Constitution Avenue Saturday to celebrate both the heart-stopping victory and triumphant return of the Washington Nationals鈥攁nd District Transportation Services held their own against the tide of pedestrians who crammed the Metro and flooded the streets.

The 2019 World Series Champions聽 paraded before throngs of exuberant fans that culminated in a rally that captured the view of the Capitol building in the background. Massive jumbotrons were posted all along the street in anticipation of the massive crowd which would allow people who weren鈥檛 close to the stage to see what was happening.

In anticipation of this, the District Department of Transportation and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or DDOT and WMATA, had to move quickly. With the Nationals winning the World Series on a Wednesday and the turnaround for a parade to be scheduled that Saturday, those three days were crucial for ensuring the parade鈥檚 success, and they rolled out several plans to help deal with the strain the large crowd would put on city transportation services.

On Friday, Mayor Bowser held a with many of the officials that would be in charge of planning the parade and spoke about several services and information keys that would be set up for the parade. A and a texting service were used to send out key information about the parade, transit, and weather.

DDOT Director Jeff Marootian, told reporters the creation of a聽 鈥減edestrian-only zone鈥� was going to be key for safety processes. Cars, scooters, and bikes weren鈥檛 allowed within the zone. For people who used them, bike corrals were established all around the zone, and areas used for picking up and dropping off people who used services such as Uber and Lyft were also established along Independence Avenue SW.

All around and along the parade route, roads were closed, which encouraged people to take the MetroIn order to compensate, the Metro ran an all-day rush hour schedule Saturday and pushed any already scheduled work on the track back.

This isn鈥檛 the District鈥檚 first time around with a victory parade, either. Last June, the Washington Capitals had their own celebration after winning their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. The day after, that after final ridership estimates, over 840,000 people rode the Metro.

While the ridership at the Nationals victory parade wasn鈥檛 as high, the effects of the large crowd still did cause some strain during the festivities. An alert sent out through the text service, set up by the Mayor鈥檚 office, alerted users to a station closure.

鈥淎LERT DC: WMATA advises Archives Station entrance remains closed due to overcrowding,鈥� read the message a little bit before 3 PM, an hour after the parade started. 最新蜜桃影像 a half hour later, another alert was sent out saying that the station was now open for 鈥渆xit only.鈥�

Archives Metro: Due to parade crowds, the station is currently in 鈥渆xit only鈥� configuration. Use Gallery Place or L鈥橢nfant Plaza instead.

— Metro (@wmata)

Eventgoers, while acknowledging that the experience of riding the cramped Metro was unpleasant, still understood the challenge that came with planning for it.聽

Oliver Massa, who rode the Metro during rush hour to get to the parade, said that the experience 鈥渟ucked,鈥� but still recognized the difficulty and praised them for their efforts.

鈥淚 think they did as good as they could,鈥� Massa said.

People replied to the revealing ridership and some praised the Metro for its service throughout the day.

What a turnout for the ! Yesterday's preliminary Metrorail ridership is 504,172 trips. For comparison, last Saturday was 167K lower (337K total), so parade/rally increased ridership by 50%. Extra trains sponsored by made it possible!

— Metro (@wmata)

鈥淵ou took a lotta crap from the ridership metro, but you excelled like the @Nationals this October. #FIGHTFINISHED鈥� wrote one user.

鈥�

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We asked so-called fans how Bryce Harper played this season for the Nats (he didn’t), who their favorite player is and who pitched the last game they watched. Even though the answers varied, support for the Nats didn’t!

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Desperate fans huddled around each other, holding up fingers showing from how many tickets they needed.

A vendor zipped over, offering a pair of tickets for $500 each right before the first pitch. Another seller hawked two tickets for $400 feet away.

Ticket resale, or scalping, exists in a legal grey zone in D.C. A Metro police officer told 最新蜜桃影像 before Game Five that ticket scaling is 鈥渘ot illegal鈥� and 鈥渘ot written up as a primary offense.鈥�

However, D.C. law sets up strict parameters around scalping in 2016, establishing scalping is illegal from any street, sidewalk, or other public space.

鈥淢PD takes all crimes seriously and scalping ticket scams is no exception,鈥� wrote a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department in an e-mail to 最新蜜桃影像.

The World Series has been especially difficult because of high demand, according to scalpers. The online ticket exchange StubHub claims that ticket sales for Game 6 increased by 142% since Saturday.

The cheapest World Series tickets were more than $800 on StubHub, an online ticket exchange, a for the Saturday evening game. On Saturday afternoon, ticket prices for the next day started at nearly $1,000.

A representative from the website stated that tickets sold for as much as $16,500 for the 6th game in the Series.

A man holding a cardboard sign strode up and down the street that leads to one of the Nationals Park gates. In bold letters, it read 鈥淚 need tickets.鈥�

Anthony 鈥� who didn鈥檛 provide his last time because of his work reselling tickets 鈥� finds it hard to connect buyers and sellers during the Series. To supplement sales, he peddles ticket holders as well.

He has scalped tickets for all events for most of his adult life.

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing this since I was fourteen,鈥� Anthony said. He gets tickets from brokers, season pass holders, and sometimes other fans on the street before flipping them for more money.

Law enforcement eventually shooed Anthony and his two other colleagues from the Nats Park entrance.

The Metropolitan Police Department warns fans against buying tickets from scalpers like the three street vendors.

Earlier in the World Series, local police arrested a scalper for selling $2,000 in counterfeit tickets near Nats Park.

鈥淭hey prey on people鈥檚 passions, knowing many regard the chance to see their favorite artists or teams as priceless,鈥� wrote the police department in a press released before Game Four.

To avoid ticket fraud, MPD created Safe Exchange Zones in early 2019. The department hopes these zones will prevent robberies linked to online ticket exchanges, like the ones near the ballpark.

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This is the Nationals鈥� first time in the World Series, and many residents feel like they have a stake in this series.

One long-time fan John Atwood remembers when the Nationals were called the Senators. Win or lose, he said he鈥檚 still proud of his team and has been waiting for a moment like this for a long time.

鈥淲hen I was a kid, I went to the Senators games in the late 1960s before they left for Texas,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or them to gradually rise to the point where they finally made it to the World Series it’s something I and Washington baseball fans have been waiting for for a lifetime.鈥�

D.C. resident Michael Holler said the Nationals have never been the team favored to win and thinks they still have time to make a comeback.

鈥淚f we end up losing, that鈥檚 a tough one. I mean I think kind of going into this series is that we were the wildcard coming in, there is an element of the kind of like the underdog vibe,鈥� Holler said.

While all the hype seems to be revolving around the Nationals, the Washington Capitals had a historic run last year that resulted in their first-ever championship title in the Stanley Cup.

And a similar feat happened much earlier this year with the Washington Mystics when they won their first-ever championship, but many D.C. residents didn鈥檛 seem to care as much.

D.C. resident John Atwood said the Mystics deserve a lot more recognition than they received.

鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed. You know they won the title here in D.C. I do think they deserved a better reaction then they got,鈥� Atwood said.

The Nats will face the Astros in game six of the series tonight, in Houston.

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Streets around the stadium were filled with cars, bumper to bumper. Normal travel times doubled and even tripled in some instances. The chance to witness history was a timely one.

The District Department of Transportation released a statement that 鈥渞esidents and visitors should expect significant impacts to on-street parking during the World Series.鈥�

During the duration of the World Series for Nationals home games, DDOT restricted 19 streets for parking and closed down three roads in SE and SW.

District resident Raynard Dugger went out to watch the game and enjoy drinks and food at a nearby restaurant. With ticket prices as high as $2,000 for a single ticket, Dugger thought he was making a smart move by watching a game nearby instead of getting tickets. But the real problem started with the post-game action outside the park. Dugger said his 15 minute ride home turned into a 鈥渘ightmare鈥� of over an hour.

鈥淚 knew what I was getting myself into when I came out to this game, but I wanted to witness history,鈥� Dugger said. 鈥淚 was disappointed to see my Nats lose those games, but I didn鈥檛 even have time to soak in what just happened. Instead, I had to sit in my car for over an hour and I鈥檓 not even far from the stadium.鈥�

Nats continue to Roll – Game Three in D.C. Friday – More Watch Parties Announced for those who don’t have tix!

鈥� PoPville (@PoPville)

As fans walked the streets talking about the game, frustration for commuters set in as they seemingly waited longer than the Nats have for their first World Series. Some people who didn鈥檛 even attend the game still had to suffer the consequences.

D.C. construction worker Marquelle Owens was just getting off work when he ran into the traffic frenzy. He usually works late at night, overtime shifts and is used to seeing clear roads. But this weekend, he was in for a rude awakening.

鈥淚 knew the park was near my work site, but I didn鈥檛 imagine it would be like this,鈥� Owens said. 鈥淚m happy and all for the Nats, but I want to be home and happy. I just had a newborn son and I want to spend as much time with him as possible. Others enjoyed time with their families at the games but turned into a bad dream when it came to the Metro. The inside of the Nationals Park Metro Station looked like a parking lot of its own.

DeDani Estrill and his family thought they could appreciate a nice night out in the nation’s capital, but instead his one-year-old daughter cried like she knew the score of the game as they waited through delays and packed metro cars.

鈥淲hen I ride the Metro to work, it usually takes me about 25 minutes from my house, and that鈥檚 with rush hour,鈥� Estrill said in anger. 鈥淚nstead it took us about 45 minutes to an hour to get home. That 20-30 extra minutes may not seem bad until you have a crying baby and cranky girlfriend.鈥�

For Nats fans who struggled during their commute home all weekend, they can enjoy the game from home tonight as the team travels to Houston for Game 6 at 8:07 on FOX.

The post 聽After losing home games, fans face 鈥榥ightmare鈥� traffic too first appeared on 最新蜜桃影像.

Outside the Nationals stadium in southeast D.C. Sunday evening, a sea of red 鈥淲鈥� hats flooded along the street leading up to the security detectors. Most of the crowd were buzzing with excitement, hopeful to see a historic win from the district鈥檚 premier baseball team. But one scattered group of fans wearing orange jerseys had different hopes.

A number of Houston Astros fans attended the fifth game of the World Series on Sunday, some living in the area currently and some traveling from Texas. They rooted on their favorite team as they beat the Washington Nationals, in a series that the Astros now lead 3-2.

Houston native John Heard spoke with 最新蜜桃影像 prior to the game. He said seeing an Astros win would be especially significant to him. A lifelong fan of Houston teams, he worked in the Houston Astrodome, the first domed stadium of its kind, when it opened in 1965.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a great vibe here in D.C., I鈥檓 really impressed with the Nationals fans.鈥�

Heard admitted that most people have been cordial, despite seeing a Nationals fan and an Astros fan in a heated argument the day before.

鈥淵esterday there was one squabble but it was broken up pretty quickly,鈥� Heard said. 鈥淭he mood might be more intense after tonight though, depending on what happens.鈥�

Chris Young, a diehard Astros fan, would have made the trip anywhere regardless of who his team was playing against. He was surprised by the goodwill of Nationals fans.

鈥淭he Nats fans have been really gracious, especially last night which was a brutal game,鈥� Young said. 鈥淭he energy is a bit different tonight though because it鈥檚 all tied up. There鈥檚 two awesome pitchers so it could go either way.鈥�

Freddy Granados, another Houston native, made the trip to D.C. intent on seeing an Astros win. He stood outside the stadium before the game in full Astros garb, and also brought a tricycle emblazoned with the orange Astros logo for his fellow Houston fans to get a photo op with.

鈥淭here has been no trouble, nobody has made any mess with me or talked smack,鈥� Granados said.

For Hillary Ruiz, who was born in Texas but now lives in Virginia with her husband, an Astros win would make her the happiest person at the school she works at.聽

鈥淚鈥檓 the only Astros fan among all my students and colleagues,鈥� Ruiz said.

For some Astros fans, the opportunity to see their favorite team play in the nation鈥檚 capital also served as a reason to visit D.C. attractions. Jill O鈥橬eill and her husband had always wanted to take their three kids to see things like the National Mall and the monuments, so when their home team made it to the World Series, she saw it as the perfect chance.

鈥淲e came up from Texas on Friday and have been enjoying all that D.C. has to offer, like the museums and the Lincoln Memorial,鈥� O鈥橬eill said. 鈥淓ven if we don鈥檛 win, the kids have really enjoyed their trip.鈥�

Similarly, Houston native Amy Johnson and her husband got the opportunity to visit the White House.

鈥淭he timing worked out perfectly. It was a great excuse to come up for the weekend not only to see the game but the whole city,鈥� Johnson said.

David and Melinda Taylor also took time off from work in Houston to attend the game, but admitted that they would be disappointed if they came all the way just to see their team lose.

鈥淲e鈥檙e gonna win!鈥� Melinda Taylor declared. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all or nothing.鈥澛�

Johnson was similarly hopeful, but also said she is superstitious and did not want to jinx the Astros chances.

鈥淭he Nationals are doing better than we expected,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 sure our guys will pull through.鈥�

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鈥淭his is good for us, it鈥檚 good for the foundation, it鈥檚 good for major league baseball,鈥� said Sean L. Gibson, executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation.

Gibson is the great-grandson of his foundation鈥檚 namesake, who is widely considered one of the best sluggers of all time. Josh Gibson played for the Homestead Grays, a team based outside Pittsburgh before financial reasons in the 1930s brought their success to D.C., where they were renamed the Washington Homestead Grays.

Today, his great-grandon continues to honor the family legacy by serving 鈥渋nner-city kids through the name of the great Negro League baseball player.鈥� This work has occasionally brought him to Washington, where as recently as last summer two Little League teams played the first Pittsburgh Homestead Grays versus Washington Homestead Grays game at the Nationals Academy.

鈥淚 think our foundation has definitely brought a lot of awareness to the Homestead Grays,鈥� GIbson said. 鈥淒.C. was our second home, so we would love to be a part of that D.C. tradition.鈥�

In fact, Gibson credits the World Series with bringing greater attention to his work and the history of the Negro Leagues right before the centennial of the Leagues鈥� founding on Feb. 13, 2020.

鈥淭his would not be happening if the Nationals didn鈥檛 win a championship,鈥� Gibson said. 鈥淪ometimes it takes something like this to bring the Negro Leagues back into the forefront.鈥�

Roy Doswell, curator of the Negro Leagues Historical Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, said the importance of the Washington-Baltimore corridor for black baseball cannot be understated.

鈥淚 think it is important for Washington to recognize the Grays and not forget them because they were really good,鈥� Doswell said.

In fact, Doswell calls the Grays the 鈥済old standard of black baseball.鈥� During their time playing in Griffith Stadium alone, the ballpark that also hosted the beleaguered Senators, the Grays won the 1940, 1943 and 1948 Negro Leagues World Series.

But Washington sports fans at home never got to see the World Series games. As Jackie Robinson and others lead the way on integration in the Major Leagues, interest in black baseball teams dwindled.

Doswell said 鈥渢he success of these teams in the 鈥�40s鈥� helped white MLB owners and fans realize just how good black players really were. And with that recognition came increased poaching of black players from the Negro Leagues into Major League baseball.

Rick Bush co-edited 鈥淏ittersweet Goodbye,鈥� a book about the 1948 World Series that would ultimately be the last one played by the Negro Leagues. He said the interest he鈥檚 seen in his book, and the history of black baseball generally, has grown considerably as Washington residents wake up to the history of the sport in their own city.

鈥淢ost casual fans don鈥檛 even know that they existed, a die-hard fan might but most casual fans never really paid attention,鈥� Bush said.

After the interest in his first book, Bush said he鈥檚 working on two more about the 1946 Newark Eagles and the 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords, two other outstanding black teams.

Meanwhile, Sean Gibson hopes that more recognition is coming for the early heroes of black baseball, and with it, more support for the programs that he funds today. On Feb. 13, 2020, his organization and others hope to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues.

鈥淲e would like to hopefully hear from the Nats,鈥� Gibson said, 鈥渁nd we can maybe do something in D.C. next year for our centennial.鈥�

For more information about the Josh Gibson Foundation and the work that they do, .

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