The streets of D.C. were crowded on a rainy Thursday morning, but it was not a typical gloomy fall night in the District of Champions because the Nationals just won the World Series.
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
James Benner, a University of Georgetown student from Boston, holds up the front page of the Washington Post announcing the Washington Nationals victory for other Nationals fans as they stream into the streets from Nationals Park on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans stream into the streets outside of Nationals Park celebrating the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
Washington Nationals fans do the Baby Shark dance in the streets outside of Nationals Park as they celebrate the Nationals World Series victory on October 30, 2019 in Washington, DC. The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the World Series bringing home the first World Series Championship in franchise history and the first to Washington, DC since 1924.
(Getty Images/Samuel Corum)
Getty Images/Samuel Corum
A Washington Nationals fan jumps onto the hood of a taxi caught in the pedestrian traffic early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington after the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans celebrate early Thursday, Oct, 31, 2019, in Washington after the Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
A Washington Nationals fan celebrates by climbing a street sign outside Nationals Park early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington, after the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans celebrate by climbing a street sign early Thursday, oct. 31, 2019, in Washington, after the Washington Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series over the Houston Astros in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
A Washington Nationals fan celebrates by climbing a street sign early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington after the Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans celebrate as they leave Nationals Park early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington after the Washington Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
A Washington Nationals fan celebrates by climbing on a truck used to block the street early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington after the Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans hold up baby sharks as they watch the broadcast of Game 7 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at Nationals Park in Washington. The Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Houston, winning the series.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fan Charlie Nyerges, from Alexandria, Va., is overcome with emotion Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at Nationals Park in Washington, as the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston, winning the title.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans touch the foul pole as they watch television coverage of Game 7 of the baseball World Series, at Nationals Park, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Washington. The Nationals defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 and won the series.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
AP/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals fans celebrate early Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Washington after the Washington Nationals won Game 7 of the baseball World Series in Houston.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
LISTEN: Michelle Basch captures fans' reactions from Nats Park
The streets of the District of Champions were crowded despite the rain Thursday morning, but no one seemed to mind. The Nationals had just won the World Series.
Fans exiting Nationals Park were in no hurry to catch the last train on the four Metro stations that were open for the watch party. They’re too busy slip-n-sliding. Wait, what? OK …
“It was amazing!” shouted one fan as he left Nats Park after the watch party early Thursday morning. “I cannot believe it! It’s incredible.”
Fans threw their beers up in the air, high-fived strangers, held up their red rally towels, jumped up and down. It was an absolute party at the Nats Park watch party — during and after.
“Despite the Nats only getting one hit in the first six innings, the motto of this team … was ‘Stay in the fight.’ And what did this team do? Stay in the fight,” said fan Evan Johnson, outside Nats Park early Thursday morning. “Now we are the World Series champions!”
And that’s all without the help of Bryce Harper, who left the team at the end of last year for a record-breaking $330 million deal with the Phillies.
“Thank you, Harper!” taunted some fans over and over again in a group chant.
Yep, that’s Chef Jose Andres in the background, who threw the ceremonial first pitch in Game 5, joining a crowd of fans as anyone who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize would.
“Fans are having a blast,” reported WTOP’s Michelle Basch. She said many stayed through all innings despite the rain, which has not dampened their excitement. And in addition to buying merchandise, they’re buying copies of the newspaper heralding the team’s win.
A fan holds up a newspaper heralding the Nats’ World Series win. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University.