The Washington Nationals will recognize first responders and service members with a number of events and activations during the Club’s upcoming series against the Pittsburgh Pirates (Sept. 12-14). The weekend will include Heroes Day – the final installment of the Patriotic Series presented by U.S. Steel, the Battle of the Bases Championship at Nationals Park and the annual Nats on Base Abroad trip to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

On Friday, Sept. 12, the Nationals will host Heroes Day in recognition and remembrance of the Sept. 11 tragedy and to honor the first responders who answered the call on that day and every day since. Heroes Day will include special programming and pregame assets, including a national anthem by Officer Brittany Shakir, Metropolitan Police Department; our nation’s colors presented by local first responders; and a flyover by the C-17 East Coast Demo Team from the 437 Airlift Wing located in Joint Base Charleston. Members representing the different branches of local police, fire and EMS will be recognized during pregame ceremonies. Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams will also welcome families from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) for a pregame meet and greet.

Additionally, the Nationals will honor five local first responders who fell in the line of duty in the last year as part of the Club’s annual Fallen Heroes Tribute, established in 2016. Family members of Investigator Wayne David, Metropolitan Police Department; Lieutenant Robert Heaney, DC Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department; Lieutenant Christopher J. Higgins, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services; Firefighter/Technician Stephen W. Shipp, Jr., DC Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department; and Supervisory Special Agent Dennis M. Wagner, Jr., U.S. Department of Justice – Federal Bureau of Investigation will be recognized in a special pregame ceremony and remain on the field with the team for the national anthem. The names of the five fallen heroes will be memorialized by plaques on dedicated seats in Section 130 along the first base line. 

Following Saturday’s 4:05 p.m. contest, Nationals Park will once again host the Battle of the Bases Championship featuring Marine Corps Base Quantico and Joint Base Andrews facing off in a competitive finale to the annual military softball tournament, which serves as an extension of the intramural season at each of the military bases in the National Capital Region. Fourteen teams of active-duty service members from all six military branches participated in a tournament to determine the championship matchup. Fans who attend Saturday’s Nationals game are encouraged to stay and enjoy the softball game. Admission to the Battle of the Bases Championship game on Sept. 13 is free and open to the public. 

Sunday, Sept. 14, marks the third annual Nats on Base Abroad simulcast, bringing the gameday experience to service members stationed nearly 7,000 miles away at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest expeditionary wing in the world. Former Nationals second baseman Brian Dozier and outfielder Adam Eaton – who is participating in Nats on Base Abroad for the second consecutive year – along with host Brittney Ramsey and mascot Screech will host a special watch party for service members, complete with several pregame and in-game activities like an honorary first pitch, ballpark games, prizes and a very special Salute to Service. Back home in Washington, D.C., live footage from the watch party will be integrated into the game’s video board programming and MASN telecast, creating a two-way international viewing event. The game will be simulcast to bases everywhere via the American Forces Network, which reaches more than 400,000 audience members worldwide and at sea, as part of AFN’s partnership with Major League Baseball. 

As part of the trip, Dozier and Eaton will join military exercises and demonstrations, host a baseball skills clinic, coach an Army vs. Air Force softball game, and more. A brand-new softball field was erected on the base following last year’s successful event, in which more than 200 service members participated in and watched a game coached by Eaton and former Nationals pitcher Doug Fister. Service members at Al Udeid Air Base are part of the 379^th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW), a unit of the United States Air Force that operates within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

To learn more about the Nationals’ military initiatives, visit nats.com/military. To purchase tickets to a Nationals home game, visit nats.com/tickets.