Tag Archives: Washington Nationals

Day 280: Anonymous letter left in New York’s Penn Station

Posted on October 7, 2015 | Leave a comment
Don Pepi's Pizzeria at Penn Station.

Don Pepi’s Pizzeria at Penn Station.

Today’s letter was scrawled quickly as I rushed to write it on the back of my laptop before I hopped on my train back to Washington. My quick draft didn’t come out as elegantly as I had hoped. I left it on the counter at Don Pepi’s Pizzeria at Penn Station.

I grew up watching the New York Mets on WWOR, I was a huge fan in the early 80s and was rewarded with a miraculous World Series victory in the fall of 1986. I could tell you any statistic about Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Mookie Wilson or Gary Carter (RIP my friend!).

Times have changed and so has my location. Living in our nation’s capital, I’ve become a strong fan of the Washington Nationals. In fact, I haven’t missed an opening day game since they moved the franchise to DC in 2005. This year didn’t end up the way we had hoped, but my old team, the New York Metropolitans are still in the race. So, here’s to them, LET’S GO METS!

Day 280

I tried to stamp the glove blue in honor of the Mets, but I may have used purple ink. I can’t tell. #BeingColorblind

Dear New Yorker,

I grew up a Mets fan – then moved to Washington, DC and became a Nationals fan. We lost this year to the Mets – their World Series Dreams are still alive. I wish them lots of luck in the playoffs!

Reed Sandridge
Washington, DC

P.S. LET’S GO METS!

Leave a comment

Posted in Anonymous

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Day 233: Julie

Posted on August 21, 2015 | Leave a comment

I love it when the people who find my anonymous letters follow up with me – especially when they do it with a handwritten letter like Julie did. She found letter number 215 that I had left on the upper concourse at Nationals Park on August 3rd.

It’s just an interesting way of connecting with our community and I truly hope that Julie and her husband Ian join us at the year-end celebration on January 5th!

My letter and Julie's card.

My letter and Julie’s card.

Julie,

The other day I went to the mailbox and found your letter – I’ll be honest, I had no idea who it was from when I saw the envelope. That’s kind of exciting.

Opening it up and seeing that you found Letter 215 made my day! Truly. I’ve left a half dozen or so anonymous letters throughout this letter-writing journey and I think you’re only the second person I’ve heard from. Thank you for taking a moment to write back.

Day 233-2I appreciate your kind words. You and Ian sound like good people – I mean your Nats fans, so you’ve gotta be good people. Unless of course you were there rooting for the Diamondbacks!??!

I’ll post on YearOfLetters.com details about the year-end party but it will most likely be in Dupont on January 5th. It should be fun. I did a similar event at the end of the Year of Giving – it was a blast!

Again, thanks for taking time to write and say hello. I hope to see you and Ian on January 5th!

Cheers,
Reed

Leave a comment

Posted in Thank-yous

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Day 215: Anonymous letter left at Nats Park

Posted on August 3, 2015 | Leave a comment

I’m leaving this note with a ten-dollar bill somewhere at tonight’s Nationals vs. Diamondbacks game.

Day 215

“Play this game like the 8 year old you used to be, dreaming to play in the show! Heart, passion, and fire! Remember where you came from!” – Bryce Harper

Ballgames have become more expensive – here’s a few bucks to help you out. Enjoy a hotdog, pretzel or drink on me. Or buy something for fan sitting next to you.

Enjoy!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Anonymous

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Day 175: Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler

Posted on June 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

“You don’t realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth.” — Mickey Mantle

Dave and Charlie Photo: Washington Post

Dave and Charlie
Photo: Washington Post

Baseball is as much about tradition as it is about hitting home runs. For me, one of the great pastimes of baseball is calling the game. I find that I prefer radio broadcasters over their television counterparts. Maybe it’s the nostalgic part of me envisioning my grandfather listening to games over a crackling radio or maybe I just appreciate their artistry more.

It’s about their voice. It’s about their cadence and inflection. It’s about the nuances they share and the banter they exchange over the sounds of the ballpark. Charlie and Dave are like old friends. I invite them into my living room every night throughout the summer, letting them deftly paint the picture of the game as smoothly as Bob Ross used to add a few happy trees or bushes to his canvas. My experience following the Nationals is richer thanks to them and I wanted to let them know that.

Day 175

Dear Charlie and Dave,

I’m a loyal Nationals fan – while I’ve never been able to be a season ticket holder, I’ve found a way to be at every Opening Day since the team came back in 2005. I also don’t have cable so I don’t get MASN, so I listen to you on the radio. And truth be known, I often mute the TV when the games are on WUSA9, and overlay you guys on WJFK.

I tucked this photo of me in the envelope with the letter. I was up in the broadcasting booth last summer. What a dream job it would be to work with Charlie and Dave.

I sent Charlie and Dave this photo of me taken in the broadcasting booth last summer. What a dream job it would be to work along side them.

I’ve made a commitment to send a handwritten letter to someone every day this year – you’re day 175. It would be great to hear back from you or even better have the opportunity to visit you guys some time.

You are truly the best baseball broadcasting team in the business bar none and it is a pleasure to see the game through your words.

Your fan and faithful listener,
Reed Sandridge

P.S. I’ve also written to some of the players (Robinson, Escobar, Werth)…hell, I even wrote Teddy – but haven’t heard from a soul.

UPDATE Oct. 26, 2015

Today I received a card in the mail from Charlie!

The front of the card is an image of "Big Baseball", a painting by Washington, D.C. artist Daniel Kessler.

The front of the card is an image of “Big Baseball”, a painting by Washington, D.C. artist Daniel Kessler.

Day 175 response-2

Leave a comment

Posted in Just because

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Day 146: Dad

Posted on May 26, 2015 | Leave a comment

Day 146

Dad,

When I look back at the letters that I have from you and Mom growing up, the majority were sent while I was spending time away from home at camp, as an exchange student, at college, etc. I’ve kept those letters, I treasure them. They bring back beautiful memories when I hold them in my hand and read the words that you wrote by hand.

As you spend time at the cabin, I thought you could use some mail. It was great to see you this past weekend – I really enjoyed the time we got to spend together.

DadJason

With Dad at a Nationals game a few years ago.

I wonder if you saw the Nats yesterday – close game, they beat the cubs 2-1, Ramos hit the game winning home run. You should google Michael Taylor’s catch if you didn’t see it already, beautiful!

Things here are going fine. I got your check for the Street Sense event on June 2nd. Thank you, that was very generous of you. Put Oct. 1st on your calendar – the 2015 Street Sense Gala. It’s shaping up to be a really cool event.

I’m going over to Ryan’s tonight to babysit Jacqueline and Mackenzie – Ryan and Mandy are going to see comedienne Amy Schumer.

We need to talk about our trip to Europe – we put it on hold as I recall when you had your knee surgery, but that’s been four years now and we still haven’t made plans for the trip.

I’m not sure how long you’re planning on staying up there, but maybe I will try to come visit. And I hope you know that you are always welcome here – I really enjoy when you visit. Maybe we can find time for you to come when we can get to a couple of Nationals games. That would be fun.

I know you have things you want to get done up there, but I hope you take some time to relax and enjoy yourself too.

I love you very much,
Jason

Day 146-2

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,