Sports and Recreation

     D.C. is not usually thought of as a sports-crazy town in the sense that Chicago or Pittsburgh are. However, the city still goes wild for the Washington Redskins. The three-time Super Bowl champions draw strength from an across-the-board contingent of fans. And major league baseball returned to the District in 2005 when the Montréal Expos moved south and became the Washington Nationals.
     Spectators also can choose from four additional professional sports teams--basketball's Washington Wizards, the WNBA's (Women's National Basketball Association) Mystics, hockey's Washington Capitals and soccer's D.C. United. In addition, six area universities--American, Georgetown, George Washington and Howard in the District, George Mason University in Virginia and the University of Maryland--offer intercollegiate sports action.

Baseball
     The Washington Nationals played their inaugural season at venerable RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St. S.E. (M: Stadium-Armory). They will share the stadium with the D.C. United through 2007. A new 41,000-seat ballpark, scheduled to open in 2008, is currently in the planning stages. The facility will rise along S. Capital Street and Potomac Avenue, less than a mile south of the U.S. Capitol dome. Single-game tickets are available; for information phone (202) 397-7328.

Basketball
     Legions of local fans head to the Verizon Center, 7th and F streets N.W. (M: Gallery Place-Chinatown), to take in a Washington Wizards game. The Wizards are thrice Eastern Conference champs and walked away victorious over the Golden State Warriors in the 1977-78 NBA finals. The action takes place from November to April; phone (202) 628-3200. The Verizon Center also is home to the WNBA Mystics, who began play in 1998.
     Impressive NCAA champions the Hoyas hail from Georgetown University and are widely known by hometown rooters as well as by those who follow the Division IA circuit. Basketball fans also should check out the American University Eagles, the George Washington University Colonials, the Howard University Bison, the University of Maryland Terrapins (the Terps) and the George Mason University Patriots. The D.C. Armory, 3rd and M streets N.E., offers exhibition basketball games.

Football
     The Washington Redskins--who won the Super Bowl in 1983, 1988 and 1992--have an army of followers notorious for their zeal. Hear that whooshing noise? It's the sound of fans sucking up every last home game ticket in town. They are more precious than gold; sports fans interested in seeing the Skins play would be better served trying to track down some preseason tickets instead.
     FedEx Field, off I-495/I-95 exit 15A (Central Ave. East) or 17A (Landover Rd. East) in nearby Landover, Md. (M: Morgan Boulevard), is packed with fans from September to December; phone (301) 276-6050 for ticket information or (301) 276-6248 for recorded directions. Meanwhile, the University of Maryland's football team, the Terrapins, play their home games at Byrd Stadium.

Hockey
     The Washington Capitals have been around since the 1974-75 season, and waged a division-winning campaign in 1999-2000. The season runs from October through April at the Verizon Center. Various season ticket plans are offered; for information phone Capitals Guest Services at (202) 266-2350.

Horse Racing
     Several tracks around the District offer horse racing; Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Md., (301) 567-4000, and Laurel Park Race Course, (301) 725-0400, in Laurel, Md., are the closest. All programs are flat races unless otherwise noted; dark days--days when no live racing is scheduled--are announced during the meets.
     Public transportation is available from downtown D.C. to the tracks. For information contact the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA); phone (410) 539-5000 or (866) 743-3682 Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
     Track seasons are usually from early October through March at Laurel; mid-January to mid-December (for three nights a week) at Rosecroft; from mid-March to early June at Pimlico, near Baltimore, (410) 542-9400; from late August to early September at Timonium, (301) 725-0400, also near Baltimore; and from early January to mid-December at Charles Town, W.Va.

Soccer
     D.C. also is home to Major League Soccer's D.C. United, a professional team that plays at RFK Stadium. For ticket information contact D.C. United customer service; phone (202) 587-5000.

Recreation
     No matter what the season, activities in the Washington metropolitan area are plentiful. And who knows: You may find yourself jogging, bicycling or fishing not only with the locals but with a congressional power broker as well. For information contact the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation; phone (202) 673-7665.