|
Roche is a member of the new team's "Nat Pack." The group of six super-fans are paid to get the RFK crowd pumped up and organize promotional activities during the first major league baseball home games in Washington, D.C., in 38 years.
Roche said he just applied for the position, which lasts throughout the Nationals' 2005 inaugural season.
"The Nat Pack really works as a team," said Roche, who when not attending every Nationals home game is the station manager at WRGW.
"It's not just (Nationals mascot) Screech, its not just me, it's really a group of us that put this show on every home game," he said.
One of Roche's primary responsibilities is ushering Screech around the stadium to interact with fans.
Roche explained the legend behind Screech, saying that that while workers were renovating RFK stadium, they found a massive egg that was taken to the National Zoo for hatching. Upon birth, Screech, who is often mistaken for a chicken or confused with the "Saved by the Bell" character of the same name, returned to RFK and has called the stadium home since.
"I like hanging out with this guy," Roche said, giving Screech a hug at a game against the New York Mets two weeks ago. "He's the crowd favorite, really gets everyone going."
As Screech dances up and down the aisles of RFK stadium, everyone from little kids at their first baseball game to drunken men in the upper deck come down to be seen with the beloved mascot.
"I tell everyone I have the best summer job in the world," Roche said. "I come to a baseball stadium to get the fans excited for a living, when I tell people that they're usually jealous."
