WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Remember the great derecho storm of 2012? Well, just a few hours before it blew into our region a fire broke out at the Potomac Nationals’ front office in Woodbridge.
No damage was done to the adjacent field where the minor league baseball team plays at G. Richard Pfiztner Stadium, but the team’s mascot – Uncle Slam – was toast.
Taking a break from making appearances at community festivals and charity events, Uncle Slam has been on the mend these past seven months. Now he’s ready to make his first public appearance since going on the disabled list, and he’ll do it this weekend at Wegmans grocery store in Woodbridge, near where the team plans to build a new 6,000 seat stadium.
More in a press release from the team:
The Potomac Nationals’ official mascot was famously placed on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to July 4, 2012, and missed the remainder of the ’12 campaign with undisclosed wounds.
 Since the incident, Uncle Slam has been recovering and nursing himself back to full health while rehabilitating at the Official Gym of the Potomac Nationals, Gold’s Gym Lake Ridge.
“We are extremely pleased with Uncle Slam’s off season dedication in getting to better than full strength. Slam modeled his off season regimen after NFL MVP, Adrian Peterson. Slam has been waiting all off-season to reunite with our fans and looks forward to his best season to date!” says P-Nats Vice President and General Manager, Josh Olerud.
Uncle Slam is now better than ever, and fans will get the opportunity to meet and greet the P-Nats most viral member at Wegmans. This unveiling will run from noon to 2 p.m. and Uncle Slam, himself, is expected to be introduced at 12:30 p.m.
 ‘Slam’ will interact with Nationals fans, sign autographs, and show off his new look.
 Uncle Slam’s inflatable bounce house will be set up outside Wegmans for children to play in, and a coloring station will be set up to the backdrop of balloons.Â
 P-Nats staff members will be on hand to distribute 2013 pocket schedules, season ticket and mini plan information, as well as Uncle Slam’s Kids Club sign-up forms. When kids participate in Slam’s MVP Kids Club package, they receive a courtesy Uncle Slam Piggy Bank presented by: TD Bank.
 P-Nats fans can show their Wegmans card at the information table to receive a special code to be used for an upcoming discount offer inside the online National Mall Team Store, the official merchandise hub for the Potomac Nationals.Â
Arguably the most popular P-Nats hallmark, Uncle Slam is the face of the Nationals’ community endeavors and can often be found throughout Northern Virginia neighborhoods working on the Uncle Slam’s Reading Program, making youth baseball appearances, and even delivering Valentine’s Day flowers.    Â
 Uncle Slam, the Director of Fun for the Potomac Nationals, will enter his 9th season serving as official team mascot in 2013. As the central cheerleader for P-Nats Baseball since 2005, Uncle Slam has been a part of the P-Nats’ franchise tradition as long as the last two United States Presidential terms.
 The bluest member of the P-Nats staff, only in hair tone and converse to his persistent P-Nattitude, Uncle Slam is a fixture of the Pfitzner Stadium experience, using a gregarious demeanor to complement his iconic outfit, which represents the hallmark of American patriotism amidst the landscape of our national pastime.
 UNCLE SLAM PROFILE
 BORN: 4th of July (he thinks the fireworks are always for him!)
HOMETOWN:Â Woodbridge, VA
HEIGHT:Â Really Tall
WEIGHT:Â Healthy
BATS:Â Switch
THROWS:Â Right
WARDROBE: Red, white, and blue top hat/pants, blue and white hair/goatee, P-Nats jersey, and red sneakers
WALK-OUT MUSIC: “Slam (Let the Boys be Boys)” by Onyx
JOB DESCRIPTION: To make you a P-Nats fan for life!
FAVORITE FOOD:Â Funnel Cakes
FAVORITE COLOR(S):Â Red, White, and Blue
HOBBIES: Dancing, signing autographs, hanging with superstars, and cheering the P-Nats on to victory!
TAGLINE: “Uncle Slam Wants You…to Join the Party!”
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