Teddy Roosevelt Is Lovable Loser in Washington Nationals' Game 'Presidents Race'

Oct. 2, 2009— -- Every city has a unique sports tradition.

In Milwaukee, there are the "racing sausages" at Brewers' baseball games. San Diego has had a chicken mascot at Padres games and Philadelphia has its beloved "Phillie Phanatic," a giant green thing that has entertained baseball fans for decades.

Washington has its presidents -- but not the ones that reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. These presidents have giant foam heads, making speeches a bit difficult.

Washington's most beloved presidents -- Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt -- are the four competitors in the "presidents race," a fourth-inning tradition at every Washington Nationals home baseball game.

The concept is simple: Four costumed presidents, 200 yards and one mad dash to the finish line.

Every year, the Nationals hold open tryouts, usually on Presidents' Day weekend, where locals can suit up in the presidential costume and compete to be a racing president. There are usually three to five open spots a year.

The Nationals have struggled recently -- losing more than 100 games this season -- but the presidents race is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, sure to get fans out of their seats.

All of the presidents are popular. They are mobbed by fans before the game, they ham it up during the seventh inning stretch and they have even inspired bobblehead dolls.

The nation's 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt, is the overwhelming fan favorite, but that's primarily because he is a lovable loser.

Teddy is winless in nearly 300 races, a streak that spans three seasons. He often comes very close to victory only to see it snatched away by another president -- or a disqualification of his own doing.

Teddy's antics over the years have included riding a Segway scooter during the race, coming out on a motorcycle and frequently bringing in extra help from the stands to tackle the other presidents or disrupt the race.

Teddy's epic losing streak has earned him a cult following.

Scott Ableman, a season ticket holder from Virginia, set up a blog, "Let Teddy Win," to show his support his favorite racing president.