Team Solidarity Nets Nats Win On Labor Night

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

More than 5,000 area union members and their families joined a packed crowd at Friday’s fourth annual Labor Night at the Nats, as the home team clobbered the Giants in a 8-1 victory. AFGE 3615’s Juanita Jackson threw out the ceremonial first pitch, OPEIU 2 member and AFSCME staffer Renee Barnes once again sang a rousing National Anthem, the Nats awarded the night’s Spirit Award to Metro Council President Jos Williams, Community Services Agency Executive Director Kathleen McKirchy, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker and Northern Virginia Labor’s Dan Duncan (r) and Iron Worker 5 apprentice director David McNair's son, Tyler, was featured in the pre-game trivia contest broadcast on the big screen and won. Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg allowed a homer on his fifth pitch of the game -- a 97-mph fastball – before retiring 18 of the next 21 batters, striking out eight of them to notch his first win since June 13. Perhaps in the night’s union spirit of solidarity – vocal union t-shirt-clad fans dotted the stands -- Strasburg’s teammates stepped up and backed him up with a string of hits, including Adam Dunn’s two homers, repeatedly bringing the crowd to their feet and sending them satisfied with a convincing win. Labor Night at the Nats raises funds for CSA's Emergency Assistance Fund. - report/photos by Chris Garlock