Nationals Park is home to the Washington Nationals of the National League. It was built as a baseball-only replacement for RFK Stadium, which housed both the Nationals and their major-league predecessors, the Washington Senators of the American League. A grove of Cherry Blossom trees are located outside of the park to give it something that associates it more closely with Washington D.C. Both the United States Capitol building and the Washington Monument are visible from different areas in the stadium. It is the first certified "green" stadium constructed in the United States, built to meet the environmental standards of the United States Green Bulding Council.
The stadium opened in time for the 2008 season, with it's very first game being broadcast nationally on ESPN. The first pitch was thrown out by then United States President George W. Bush. The Nationals won the game over the Atlanta Braves with a walk-off home run, becoming just the third team to win their first game in their new home with a walk-off home run. Pope Benidict XVI also celebrated Mass at the park during his visit to the United States during April of 2008, attracting an audience of 47,000 people.
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