Do Washington Nationals fans become creative when provoked?

That’s a clown question, bro. Of course they do.

Nats fans turned up for a rainy matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night with snarky signs, altered jerseys, and an arsenal of jeers for outfielder Bryce Harper. It was the former National’s first game in the District with his new team, the Philadelphia Phillies. Harper signed a record-setting 13-year, $330 million contract with the Nats’ division rival in February.

Tensions were running high even before the game started. “I’m on to the anger stage of grief management,” said Jennifer O’Dell, a self-described Nationals superfan and season ticket holder. “I don’t even wish him well, quite honestly.”

She said she burned her Harper shirts in a bonfire at a friend’s house recently, but hasn’t decided what to do with her bobbleheads yet. “They’re kind of a part of history, so maybe I don’t need to do a ritual burning,” she laughed. “I’m an Irish Catholic, so I’m deeply engrossed in all things superstition.”

Lots of Nats fans went the defacement route. Justin Straight crossed out Harper’s name with duct tape. “If he ever comes back, I can take the tape off,” he said. “But otherwise, right now he’s a Philly and he’s an enemy.”

Todd Nguyen wrote “CLOWN” on the back of his jersey, a nod to Harper’s now-iconic response to a reporter back in a 2012: “That’s a clown question, bro.”

Nguyen said he planned to boo at each of Harper’s at-bats.

He wasn’t alone. Harper was loudly booed each time he stepped up to the plate, and cheered when he struck out swinging during his first two at-bats. He went on to double, single, and homer. The Phillies beat the Nationals eight to two.

Yep. It’s fine. No one’s upset. Back to the Phillies insults.

Pop music lyrics were another favorite inspiration for sign makers. “This is why we can’t have Bryce things,” read one handmade sign, perhaps made by a Taylor Swift fan. “Bryce, now you’re just somebody that I used to know,” read another (Gotye, anyone?).

Even D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser got in on the heckling. On Monday night, her official Twitter account tweeted an image of Bryce Harper dressed as Benedict Arnold, the infamous Revolutionary War turncoat who defected to the British. The tweet has since been deleted, and Bowser told a reporter on Tuesday that she hadn’t approved of it.

That didn’t stop Dylan Burroughs from printing out a picture of the image and carrying it with him to the game. He also taped over Harper’s name on his jersey with red tape and wrote “SELLOUT” and “.249BA = $330M??” over it (the latter is a reference to Harper’s mediocre batting average last season).

Seven other fans greeted Harper in right field with coordinated t-shirts that spelled out “TRAITOR.”

In a press conference before the game, Harper claimed he was prepared for either cheers or boos. He also posted a thank you message to Nationals fans on Instagram Tuesday morning—too late to suit many fans’ taste.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

If you would have told me 5 years ago I would be walking into Nationals Park as an opposing player, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. Five years later, I’m doing just that. I remember the first day I walked into Nats Park. My first base hit. My first home run. And, of course, my first standing ovation. Nationals fans delivered that first ovation. The things that I will miss most are the relationships I gained on a personal level with so many of the Nationals staff and workers around the ballpark. Every day I walked in, I got a smile or shared a laugh with you. I especially want to thank The Lerner Family and Mike Rizzo for the unwavering support they showed me during my tenure in DC. The city of DC was home. Filomena’s, The Silver Diner, The Italian store, and countless other places helped make it feel like home. You, Nationals fans, made me one of your own for the entire time I was a part of the Nationals organization. I’m so blessed to have been able to play for a fan base that cared so much about our team each and every night. You will always hold a special place in my heart no matter what. I look forward to continuing Harpers Heroes with LLS in the DMV as well as making sure the legacy fields bearing my name are the best youth fields in town! When I run on the field tonight I am sure to hear some boos, but I will always remember the cheers and the screams that are still with me right now, as I start my new chapter. So for that, DC, THANK YOU.

A post shared by Bryce Harper (@bryceharper3) on Apr 2, 2019 at 7:05am PDT

Phillies fans showed up to the game in droves. Many sported Harper jerseys with his new number three emblazoned on the back.

There were no vintage “Harper #34” shirts to be found in the Nationals’ team store, even on the sale racks. One store employee said some shirts “might be in the back somewhere.” Another said all the shirts had been cleared out after Harper signed with the Phillies. As she put it: “They just disappeared.”

As did fans’ adoration for their former hero, Bryce Harper.

This story was originally published on WAMU.