Dave Lanham, 42, of Prince Frederick, Md., said that he listened to Charlie Slowes and Dave Shea call the game on the radio Wednesday, when Nationals center fielder Brad Wilkerson had four hits -- a single, double, triple and home run. "It's clearly outrageous," Lanham said. "You have an historic event where Wilkerson hits for the cycle. I really enjoy Slowes and Shea but there are many fans, young fans like my two sons, who would have loved to have watched to see the kind of drama that baseball can provide in a wonderful way."
Kip Smith, 22, a youth baseball coach who lives in the District, said: "I would have watched. I'm very concerned because this is a team that we put so much fight into getting and I would love to see them every chance I get."
Evans, the council's most ardent baseball supporter, said in a television interview Wednesday night that perhaps the city should not be so willing to provide public funding for a new stadium for the Nationals if the games are not televised. Yesterday, he softened his stance, saying he still supports the stadium financing package.
"The thing that set me off was the notion we were not on TV. That's ridiculous," said Evans (D-Ward 2). "We win the game, but Baltimore is on TV. How does this all happen? I'm just angry. We've got to get this straightened out."
Nationals President Tony Tavares asked the team's fans to be patient. "I hope every time we hit a bump in the road, people don't start saying, 'We aren't going to build them a stadium,' " Tavares said. "If I had my choice, all the games would be on and this would have been resolved months ago. But that's not the way it worked. The agreements just came together."
Mayor Williams said that baseball officials should have ensured that the Nationals were on television early in the season when the new franchise is trying attract fans. "We ought to be given the benefit of the doubt since we're starting up," Williams said.
On Wednesday evening, as Wilkerson was playing the hero in Philadelphia, those who watched Channel 20 would have caught the following shows during the 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. time slot: "Girlfriends," a sitcom about four young women dealing with family, friends and relationships; "America's Next Top Model 4," a reality show hosted by supermodel Tyra Banks; and "Kevin Hill," featuring Taye Diggs as an attorney who unexpectedly has to raise his cousin's 10-month-old daughter.
"It's outrageous the game could not be seen here," D.C. Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp (D) said. "The city stepped up to plate. A new stadium is coming here. Fans have given some support to it. The least that could happen is they ought to be able to view the games in the city."
Staff writer Lori Montgomery contributed to this report.
