Standing in the Nationals Park stadium in Washington, D.C. on October 30, 2019, red-clad fans watched on in anticipation during a steady downpour as their team fought to secure a title the city had long been clinging to for hope: World Series Champions. “FINISH THE FIGHT” became a slogan displayed throughout the city on bus exteriors, Metro Station advertisements, and taped to office windows. For Nationals fans, it was a fight that stood for a lot more. The last time Washington D.C.’s major league baseball team made it to the World Series was 1933. It was three years into the Great Depression, and Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office. Eighty-six years later, the city is faced with the animosity and controversy of Donald Trump’s presidency. The “fight”, and the victory that ensued, became a much-needed distraction and a unifying celebration. This photo story speaks to the exuberance and tension-filled moments of what it means to be a Washington Nationals fan experiencing the World Series amidst the political climate of 2019.
