9. Teddy wins his first race (2012)
What started as a fun, little gimmick used to keep fans interested during the summer slog of a baseball season eventually became a national phenomenon in 2012. While the team on the field was in the midst of its best season, Teddy Roosevelt was mired in the middle of a winless streak never before seen in baseball history.
While the streak flew under the radar at the beginning, fans eventually caught on, and Teddy became local cult hero. Shirts were made and blogs were started, but Teddy still failed to capture the elusive W (though not for a lack of trying). National media started to get in on the fun too with features from ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, and others.
But after the Nationals had clinched their first division title, winds of change breezed through Nats Park. On the final day of the 2012 regular season, Teddy Roosevelt busted through the tape first, marking his first victory in seven seasons and 525 races.
Teddy backed up his first win with three more W’s in the 2012 NLDS. From 2013-16, he racked up 78 wins in the suddenly competitive President’s Race.
But his luck eventually ran out, and according to the blog ‘Let Teddy Win,’ Teddy has lost 86 consecutive races to date. At this rate, we might not see the mustachioed mascot win again until Stephen Strasburg’s contract expires in 2023.