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The Washington Nationals began life in 1969 as the Montreal Expos an expansion franchise and the first Major League Baseball team to be based in Canada. They never found much success winning only one divisional title in the strike-shortened season of1981 during their time in Canada, and along with the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners to have never made an appear in the World Series.
The Expos had spent a number of years looking for a relocation site but it was not until the end of 2004 that they finally settled on Washington DC. The move was not straight forward as Peter Angelos the owner of the Baltimore Orioles cast the sole vote against the move. He was concerned as the Orioles were the only team in the greater Washington - Baltimore area, which he considered to be one market. He felt the move by the Expos would split the market leading to a loss of income for the Oriels.
Despite the objections from the Oriels owner in 2005 the Expos left Montreal for Washington where they became the first Major League Baseball to change their full name since 1972, when the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers.
The team moved from Juniper in 2002 where they shared the Rodger Dean Stadium with the St. Louis Cardinals to the Space Coast Stadium in Viera. Originally built as the Spring Training home of the Florida Marlins, there is no mistaking the space ship like Space Coast Stadium. The space theme continues in the shape of a model of a US Space Shuttle that greets fans as they arrive at the stadium and there are tributes to the crews of the lost shuttles Challenger and Columbia on each of the foul poles.
Washington Nationals
Space Coast Stadium
5800 Stadium Parkway
Viera
Fl 32940
321 633 4487
Washington Nationals - Spring Training Schedule 2009
|
Day
|
Date
|
Opponents
|
Home / Away
|
|
Wednesday
|
February 25
|
Houston Astros
|
Away
|
|
Thursday
|
February 26
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Home
|
|
Friday
|
February 27
|
Houston Astros
|
Home
|
|
Saturday
|
February 28
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
Away
|
|
Sunday
|
March 1
|
Baltimore Orioles
|
Home
|
|
Tuesday
|
March 3
|
WBC Team - Italy
|
Home
|
|
Wednesday
|
March 4
|
New York Mets
|
Home
|
|
Thursday
|
March 5
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Away
|
|
Friday
|
March 6
|
Baltimore Orioles
|
Away
|
|
Saturday
|
March 7
|
New York Mets
|
Away
|
|
Sunday
|
March 8
|
New York Mets
|
Home
|
|
Monday
|
March 9
|
Houston Astros
|
Home
|
|
Tuesday
|
March 10
|
New York Mets
|
Home
|
|
Thursday
|
March 12
|
Atlanta Braves
|
Away
|
|
Friday
|
March 13
|
Houston Astros
|
Away
|
|
Saturday
|
March 14
|
New York Mets
|
Away
|
|
Sunday
|
March 15
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Home
|
|
Monday
|
March 16
|
Florida Marlins
|
Away
|
|
Wednesday
|
March 18
|
Florida Marlins
|
Home
|
|
Thursday
|
March 19
|
Baltimore Orioles
|
Home
|
|
Friday
|
March 20
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Away
|
|
Saturday
|
March 21
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
Home
|
|
Sunday
|
March 22
|
Houston Astros
|
Away
|
|
Monday
|
March 23
|
St. Louis Cardinals
|
Away
|
|
Tuesday
|
March 24
|
Baltimore Orioles
|
Away
|
|
Wednesday
|
March 25
|
Atlanta Braves
|
Home
|
|
Friday
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March 27
|
New York Mets
|
Away
|
|
Saturday
|
March 28
|
Houston Astros
|
Home
|
|
Sunday
|
March 29
|
Florida Marlins
|
Away
|
|
Monday
|
March 30
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Home
|
|
Tuesday
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March 31
|
Detroit Tigers
|
Away
|
|
Wednesday
|
April 1
|
Toronto Blue Jays
|
Away
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|
Thursday
|
April 2
|
Philadelphia Phillies
|
Away
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