It took them a while to get to it, but after messages from some old-time Nationals like Chad Corder, Brian Schneider, Denard Span, and Adam LaRoche, and some locals who have been involved with the team like José Andrés, Jim Brown, and everyone’s favorite national anthem singer, D.C. Washington, Washington’s World Series champions finally let us all see the rings they created to celebrate last October’s victory in the Fall Classic...
And they are something...
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2019 Washington Nationals World Series Championship Ring.@Jostens // #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/TqPTnEIFsa
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 24, 2020
Washington’s World Series rings feature: 30 rubies on the face (representing the 30 runs in their four wins in the Series); 32 custom-cut genuine sapphires (representing their seven walk-off wins; 13 shutout wins; season-long eight-game winning streak; and four wins in the postseason series it took to take it all); 108 diamonds (representing the team’s 105 regular season wins, and postseason round wins; one World Series championship and, “A nod to the duality of franchise history,” whatever that means??), 12 rubies on each end (representing the total number of postseason wins); MMVI (Roman numerals for 2006, the year the Lerner’s bought the team); the player’s numbers set in diamonds; the FIGHT FINISHED motto; five stars (representing the five postseason elimination game wins); four diamonds (for the Nats’ four NL East division titles, though they had to win the Wild Card game to get into the NLDS this time around); and one ruby (for the World Series title); with “Go 1-0 Every Day” on the bottom of the ring; Gerardo Parra’s Baby Shark holding the Commissioner’s Trophy on one side inside; and their four postseason opponents on the other; as well as the date 10.30.19 of Game 7 of the World Series.
One player in particular seems to like his ring:
https://t.co/XUTH9wIxTf pic.twitter.com/HNEg38SeMC
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) May 24, 2020
I’d probably be more excited about the rings if were, like, you know, getting one, but we did not have too big a role in what happened, though our strict policy of sticking to our routine in advance of each game (which involved watching this video before each and every one of them from late May on), definitely had some effect...
Here’s the official description of the rings from the Nationals’ press release on tonight’s ring unveiling:
The top of the ring features the team’s iconic “W” logo, made from 30 custom-cut genuine rubies, representing the 30 runs the team scored in the four World Series games in which they were victorious. Surrounding the logo are 58 pavé-set diamonds. Above and below the logo are the words WORLD CHAMPIONS set over the ring of 32 custom-cut genuine sapphires. This number represents the sum total of the team’s 2019 walk-off wins (7), shutout wins (13), longest winning streak (8 games), and playoff rounds won (4). An additional 108 diamonds are featured along the ring top, representing the number of regular season and Postseason wins (105), plus one diamond for the World Series Championship, and an additional two diamonds as a nod to the duality of franchise history as the Montréal Expos and the Washington Nationals. The top and bottom edges of the ring top each feature 12 princess-cut rubies, representing the total number of Postseason wins.
On the left side of the ring in yellow gold is the player’s name in a bold, distinctive font. Beneath the player name, also in yellow gold, is the nation’s majestically-waving flag, along with the 2019 championship year date. In the foreground, in beautifully contrasting white gold, are some of Washington, DC’s most iconic buildings and monuments. Included in this stunning, intricate detail, housed within the Capitol Building, are the Roman numerals MMVI, representing 2006 – the year in which the Lerner family purchased the franchise. The bottom of the ring’s left side serves to display the player’s number, set in diamonds.
An evolution of the Nationals Postseason motto of, STAY IN THE FIGHT, the right side of the ring features the motto modified as, FIGHT FINISHED. Below, the stripes of the American flag fill the sky above Nationals Park behind the coveted Commissioner’s Trophy, complete with the Nationals wordmark logo. Also appearing on the right side are four diamonds set upon a star base, as well as a custom-cut, star-shaped ruby. The five stars represent the incredible five elimination games won by the Nationals in the Postseason on their journey to become champions. The four diamonds on the stars represent the four previous National League East titles earned by the Nationals, while the red star signifies their World Series Championship.
“To me the beauty and the significance [was] how well thought-out it all was,” GM Mike Rizzo said on the unveiling broadcast.
“All the diamonds, rubies, and gems were particular — they’re all meaningful,” Rizzo added, “... they all have some sort of special meaning to the 2019 Nationals. To me, the significance of having those iconic buildings and structures and monuments in that ring [says] volumes to me. We live in the most powerful city in the world and we took this team from a fledgling franchise back in 2006 to the world championship in 2019, and in a town that’s very, very difficult to galvanize, we really galvanized this fanbase, this city, the DMV in general, and I couldn’t be prouder to wear this ring in honor of what has happened here in Washington, D.C.”