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This weekend I was able to be one of the 39,389 fans to welcome the Washington Nationals home for their first game in their new ballpark. Chris, Marcus, Jeremy and I all made the trip from different cities in different states to see the Nationals take on the Braves for opening night of the 2008 baseball season.

We got to spend much of Saturday seeing the sights and monuments around the city. We showed up at the stadium later that evening expecting to join other eager baseball fans starting to line up for tickets. Instead we found people leaving early from the final exhibition game of the season being played by the Nationals and the Orioles. After watching Chris and Jeremy sneak in a side gate, Marcus and I were given tickets by a couple leaving early. We enjoyed the exhibition game from row V on the first base side.

Even after the game we were surprised to see there was nobody lining up. News reports had been made the week prior announcing a $5 ticket give-away at 3:30pm on game day. They also said they would not allow a line to form before 3:00pm, that it would be one ticket per person, and once buying the ticket you'd immediately have to enter the stadium. The only true statements were that the tickets cost $5 and went on sale at 3:30.

Though nobody lined up the night before, a line of 8 had begun by the time we got back Sunday morning around 7. We proudly took up our spots on the concrete to patiently wait for our $5 seats. The line steadily grew throughout the day as we watched the stadium transform to game-ready condition. The Secret Service arrived in packed buses, Chipper Jones walked right by us, and countless fans dejectedly complained "they said they wouldn't let people line up."

We got our tickets and were able to enjoy the game from the upper deck. We watched awkwardly as the stadium booed Bush during the ceremonial first pitch. We cheered excitedly during the 2 run first inning. We screamed loudly in the top of the 9th when the closer came in the put the 2-1 game away. We stood speachless when the same closer threw a wild pitch allowing the Braves to tie the game back up. In the end we went absolutely crazy when Zimmerman crushed a two-out walk off homerun to win it.

First game in the National's Stadium. First game of the 2008 season. First pitch by the president. Nationals starting the season in first place. Braves starting out the season in last place. Walk off homerun.

Best game I've ever seen.

Ever.