Fans Hang In for Postgame Harmonies

Like the rest of the concertgoers, the Wilders had to exit RFK and reenter and then wait the better part of an hour as a stage was erected behind first base. But when the band finally appeared, row after row of fans, many of them parents with children, surged to their feet and erupted in cheers.

Not everyone thinks the event was a good idea, however. The InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington sent a letter to the Nationals on Friday, saying it is "very concerned" about it.

InterFaith Conference officials say it is divisive to promote ticket sales using religion.

"It really should be called 'Jesus Night,' " said the group's executive director, the Rev. Clark Lobenstine. "If they were really interested in Faith Night and had all 11 of [the faith groups in the conference] coming, people who are promoting Faith Night wouldn't want to come."

Finding a baseball fan yesterday who even knew about Faith Night wasn't easy, and neither was finding a fan who was bothered by the event.

"I don't think it's a big deal," said Marina Allerton, a Nats fan and a homemaker from Vienna, who said she knew nothing about Faith Night. "It's after the game. People have the option to stay if they want to."

Dan Murphy of Springfield, Mo., said that his town's minor league baseball team had staged Faith Nights and that he was happy to see the idea catching on in the nation's capital.

"It brings a little faith into an agnostic society," said Murphy, a Cardinals fan who was in Washington visiting his daughter. "People have to remember where we came from and who we answer to."

Staff writer Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report.