WASHINGTON — The race for the White House is in full swing, though in this case, it’s happening on the baseball diamond.
On Sunday morning, tryouts were held to find the next George, Abe, Tom, Teddy and Bill — those who Washington Nationals fans have come to know as the Racing Presidents. The tryouts were held at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy in Southeast D.C.
Tom Davis, director of entertainment for the Washington Nationals, says a new crop of presidents is picked each year. He said he couldn’t “confirm or deny” whether any of the current Racing Presidents” would be staying on.
“If they’re good, they got to keep earning it like everybody else,” Davis says. “Everyone who is here has a shot to be on the team.”
Fifty one people were invited to the Racing Presidents tryouts, with 45 people showing up. Davis says only the best of best will be hired.
“We’re looking forward to picking a few good men and women,” he says.
Those who are trying out are sworn to secrecy. They were only able to provide their first names.
Most of the people trying out were men, but there were a few like Crystal, a resident from Frederick, Maryland.
“I’m crazy enough to do this, so if figured why not,” she says.
Her biggest concern was falling. The Racing Presidents costumes are incredibly heavy — the heads weigh 40 to 50 pounds.
“I think I’ll be ok as long as I don’t fall,” she says as she laughs.
Besides the contestants doing well in a 40-yard dash, two races from center field to first base and performing a freestyle dance, Davis says they are also looking for people who want to have a good time.
“We’ll spend a lot of time together, so I want people who are excited about doing this day in and day out,” he says.
Rick, a resident of Montclair, Virginia, says when he told his family he was going to tryout, “They were shocked to say the least.”
Rick, who recently retired after 28 years of military service, says the Racing Presidents are goodwill ambassadors and said that he wanted to be a part of that. “Just because you can’t help but look at the presidents without breaking into a smile.
Rick asked his grandkids and friends to help teach him a dance for the dance part of the tryout, but he wasn’t sure about his skills. “They told me that I was hopeless, not to even try to practice,” he says.
So he was very relieved when he saw the other contestants doing the freestyle dance. “It lasts 10-seconds and nobody knows what they’re doing,” he says.
But, as it turns out, it might have been the costume’s heavy head did that did Rick in during one of his races.
“I was in last place coming around the curve,” Rick says. “Abe was just in hand’s reach, and so I leaned forward to pass him. And instead of passing him, I laid down in front of him.”
