Photo by {ryan}.After President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden late Sunday night, it became all hands on deck time for authorities. The Metropolitan Police Department, the Metro Transit Police, Mayor Vince Gray and the Department of Homeland Security all kicked into high gear, upping vigilance, putting more cops on the city’s trains and buses, and even reminding people to watch out for things like “threats from retaliating lone wolves” inside offices. So while experts admit that an attack there would be “unlikely,” it’s hardly a surprise that the District’s youngest sports facility might get in on the security uptick.
Earlier this week, the New York Daily News cited sources who said Major League Baseball is considering upping security at all its stadiums in the wake of the bin Laden news.
Experts say they expect Major League Baseball will also increase security measures, although an MLB spokesman declined to discuss what steps the sport will take to ensure the safety of fans in the wake of bin Laden’s death.
“Safety at ballparks for fans and players is important all the time,” an MLB spokesman said. “When you are in the business of providing safety, you have to stay on top of it all the time.”
Funny, I thought the league was in the business of producing baseball contests for entertainment purposes. Regardless, we contacted the Nationals regarding potential security upgrades at the stadium — to date, though, the club hasn’t responded to a request for comment on the matter. (Though, frankly, we weren’t expecting the team to divulge intricate security details or anything. UPDATE: In response to our request for comment, the Nationals released the following statement: “We continuously monitor our security efforts in and around the ballpark to ensure that fans have a safe and enjoyable experience.”) We haven’t heard anything from fans about it being any more difficult to get in to Nationals Park since bin Laden was killed — but, hey, if you do notice any extra security patrolling around the park, you know how to get in touch.
In the meantime, I guess we can all kick back and reminisce about how, five years ago today, the area where the Nationals currently ply their trade was little more than a banner that read “Home Plate” and a group of car repair garages, strip clubs, and decrepit industrial buildings.
