Baseball Team Does What Politicians Couldn’t: Unite Washington

  • The Nationals enthrall both sides of aisle with improbable run
  • Washington team in the World Series for first time in 86 years
The Washington Nationals celebrate defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on Oct. 15.Photographer: Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images
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The Washington Nationals didn’t just banish eight decades of baseball futility in the U.S. capital by making it to the World Series. The team accomplished what generations of politicians promised but couldn’t do: bring Washington together.

Nationals Park was a cauldron of yelling, delirious fans as the team defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-4. The Nationals swept the Cardinals in four games and now advance to the Fall Classic, with the initial game set for Oct. 22.