2005 Final Game at RFK Stadium

Lore & Background

RFK Stadium had sat like a silent concrete ghost after the Senators fled in 1971, its bleachers empty, its echoes fading. But when the Montreal Expos relocated to become the Washington Nationals in 2005, the old venue jolted back to life—a grizzled giant waking from a long nap. The final game was a celebration of that resurrection, with fans packing the stands to honor the stadium's improbable second act. The Nationals had already clinched a winning record in their inaugural season, a stunning surprise that made the atmosphere a strange cocktail of gratitude and nostalgia: older fans remembered Frank Howard's moonshots and the sting of 1971, while younger ones tasted big-league baseball for the first time.

The game itself was a subdued affair—the Phillies jumped ahead early, and the Nationals never really threatened. But the score was almost irrelevant. After the final out, the ceremony unfolded like a slow exhale. The stadium's iconic scoreboard, which had flashed everything from Senators lineups to presidential inaugurations, scrolled messages of thanks. The crowd, instead of heading for the exits, began to chant—low at first, then swelling: 'RFK! RFK!' It bounced off the empty concourses, a sound that seemed to carry the ghosts of a thousand games. It was a quiet end to a loud season, but it sealed the venue's place in Washington's baseball lore as a bridge between what was lost and what was found.

In Their Own Story

The October sun dipped low over the Anacostia, casting long shadows across the outfield grass. I sat in the upper deck, the chill of autumn biting through my jersey, but I didn't care. Below, the field was a patchwork of dirt and green—the same dirt where Frank Howard had once launched moonshots, the same grass where Ted Williams had managed. The Phillies were up 9-3, but no one was leaving. We were all waiting for the end, not of the game, but of something bigger. When the last pitch came—a routine grounder to second—the crowd rose as one. We didn't cheer; we just stood, silent, as the players tipped their caps. Then a chant started, low at first, then swelling: 'RFK! RFK!' It echoed off the empty concourses, a ghost of a thousand games past. I looked at the old scoreboard, its lights flickering like a dying heartbeat, and felt a pang of loss. This place was home, even if only for a season. I thought of my dad, who had sat in these same seats in 1971, watching the Senators play their last game before vanishing. Now I was here for ours. The circle was closed, and the echoes would follow us to the new park.

Reader's Guide

The final game at RFK Stadium on October 2, 2005, was the Nationals' last home game of their inaugural season in Washington, D.C. The occasion was a farewell to a venue that had hosted the Washington Senators from 1962 to 1971 and had been vacant for Major League Baseball until the Expos' relocation. The game itself was a 9-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, but the result was secondary to the ceremony that followed. Fans stayed long after the final out to honor the stadium, with players from both teams gathering on the field for a moment of recognition.

The game is remembered as a poignant transition, marking the end of RFK's role as a baseball venue and the beginning of the Nationals' journey toward a new home. It was a celebration of the team's return to the capital after 34 years, and the stadium's unique history—from the Senators' pennant races to the 1969 All-Star Game—was acknowledged. The attendance was near capacity, and the atmosphere was one of gratitude and nostalgia, with fans chanting the stadium's name. This match is a key moment in Nationals history, symbolizing the resilience of baseball in Washington and the bond between the team and its city.

Did You Know?

• RFK Stadium was originally named D.C. Stadium and was renamed after Robert F. Kennedy in 1969.
• The 2005 Nationals were the first Major League Baseball team in Washington since the Senators left in 1971.
• The final game at RFK was played exactly 44 years after the stadium opened in 1961.
• The Nationals finished the 2005 season with a winning record, a surprise success that energized the fanbase.