Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, informally known as RFK Stadium (or just RFK), is a professional sports stadium in the United States. Opened in October 1961 as District of Columbia Stadium, or D.C. Stadium for short, RFK was the home of the NFL's Washington Redskins for 36 seasons, from 1961 through 1996. The Redskins moved to FedExField in suburban Maryland for the 1997 season. RFK Stadium also served as the home to the expansion Washington Senators of the American League from 1962 through 1971. For the 1972 season, the Senators moved to Arlington, Texas and were renamed the Texas Rangers, after the state-wide law enforcers of that same name. RFK now serves as the home of D.C. United of Major League Soccer and the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball's National League. Concerts featuring renowned rock bands and performers still take place at the stadium. It has also hosted soccer matches in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, 1996 Summer Olympics and 2003 Women's World Cup.
The stadium was renamed in January 1969 for U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Los Angeles the previous June. As Attorney General, Kennedy's Justice Department played a role in the racial integration of the Redskins. Along with Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, Kennedy threatened to revoke the team's lease at the federally-owned stadium until it promised to sign African American players.
A complex conversion is necessary, at a cost of $40,000 per switch, to convert the stadium from a soccer/football configuration to baseball and back again. This includes rolling the 3rd-base lower-level seats into the outfield along a buried rail, dropping the hydraulic pitcher's mound 3 feet into the ground, and laying sod over the infield dirt. RFK was the first major stadium designed specifically as a multisport facility for both football and baseball - subsequent facilities have been adjusted for this problem in order to be able to change their seating configuration much more quickly and at a lower cost. In 2005, the conversion was made over 20 times.
It is the fourth-oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball behind Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

History
The dimensions of the baseball field were 335 feet down the foul lines, 380 feet to the power alleys and 408 feet to center field during the Senators' time. The official distances when the Nationals arrived were identical, except for two additional feet to center field. After complaints from Nationals hitter it was discovered in July of 2005 that the fence had actually been put in place incorrectly, and it was 394.74 feet to the power alleys in left; 395 feet to the right-field power alley; and 407.83 feet to center field. The section of wall containing the 380 foot sign was moved closer to the foul lines to more accurately represent the distance shown on the signs but no changes were made to the actual dimensions.

New developments

After trailing the Cowboys 24-6 halfway through the third quarter on November 28, 1965 quarterback Sonny Jurgensen leads the Redskins to 21 fourth-quarter points and a 34-31 comeback victory.
The Redskins beat the New York Giants 72-41 on November 27, 1966. The 113 combined points are the most ever scored in an NFL game.
In the Washington Senators' final home game, on September 30, 1971, the Senators led the New York Yankees 7-5 with two outs left in the top of the ninth. Fans storm the field and tear up bases, grass patches, and anything else they can find for souvenirs. The Senators forfeit the game, 9-0.
On December 31, 1972 the Redskins defeat the Cowboys 26-3 in the NFC Championship game to earn a trip to Super Bowl VII.
On June 10, 1973 The Grateful Dead performed what was perhaps their most legendary concert before a sold out crowd. For the final set of the three set show they were joined by the Allman Brothers Band. More than 100,000 Deadheads showed up for the concert.
In a Monday Night Football game on October 8, 1973 Redskins safety Ken Houston stops Cowboys' receiver Walt Garrison at the goal line as time expired to secure a win.
December 17, 1977 - the Redskins defeat the Los Angeles Rams 17-14 in what would be head coach George Allen's final game with the team.
On September 21, 1980 in the 1980 Soccer Bowl the New York Cosmos defeated the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3-0.
October 25, 1981 - the Redskins narrowly beat the New England Patriots 24-22 to earn head coach Joe Gibbs his first win at RFK Stadium.
January 22, 1983 - the stadium physically shakes as a capacity crowd of 54,000 chant "We Want Dallas" taunting the hated Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. The Redskins go on to defeat the Cowboys 31-17 to earn a trip to Super Bowl XVII where they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 to claim the franchise's first Super Bowl win.
September 5, 1983 - Redskins' rookie cornerback Darrell Green chases down Cowboys' running back Tony Dorsett from behind to prevent him from scoring. The Redskins go on to lose the game 31-30.
November 18, 1985 - Giants' linebacker Lawrence Taylor sacks Redskins' quarterback Joe Theismann severely breaking his leg and ending his NFL career. Backup quarterback Jay Schroeder comes in and leads the Redskins to a 23-21 victory.
January 17, 1988 Cornerback Darrell Green knocks down a Wade Wilson pass at the goal line to clinch a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game. The Redskins go on to defeat the Denver Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII.
January 4, 1992 - In a pouring rain, the Redskins beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-7 in the Divisional round of the playoffs. After a touchdown scored by Redskins fullback Gerald Riggs with 6:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, the fans shower the field with the free yellow seat cushions given to them when they entered the stadium.
January 12, 1992 - the Redskins destroy the Detroit Lions 41-10 in the NFC Championship game earning a trip to Super Bowl XXVI where they beat the Buffalo Bills 37-24.
December 13, 1992 - Redskins' coach Joe Gibbs coaches what would be his last win at RFK Stadium. The Redskins defeat the Cowboys 20-17.
July 2, 1994 – The 1994 FIFA World Cup concludes its play in RFK as Spain defeats Switzerland 3–0 in the Round of Sixteen. (RFK had earlier hosted four group-play games.)
October 30, 1996 - Ten days after winning the first Major League Soccer title, D.C. United defeats the Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 in the U.S. Open Cup final, achieving the first "double" in American soccer history.
December 22, 1996 - The Redskins win their last game in the stadium, defeating their arch-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, 37-10. In a halftime ceremony, several past Redskins greats were introduced, wearing replicas of the jerseys of their time. After the game, fans storm the field and rip up chunks of grass as souvenirs. In the parking lot, fans are seen walking away with the stadium's maroon and yellow seats.
October 26, 1997 - D.C. United defeats the Colorado Rapids 2-1 to win their second consecutive MLS Cup.
August 16, 1998 - D.C. United defeats C.D. Toluca of Mexico 1-0 to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, becoming the first American team to do so and marking their first victory in an international tournament.
October 15, 2000 - the Kansas City Wizards defeat the Chicago Fire 1-0 to win their first MLS Cup.
April 14, 2001 - the Washington Freedom defeat the Bay Area CyberRays 1-0 in the inaugural match of the Women's United Soccer Association.
October 21, 2001 a concert United We Stand is held as a memorial to the tragedy of September 11.
July 21, 2002 - Jan Magnussen and David Brabham win the American Le Mans Series' only running of the National Grand Prix in a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S.
August 3, 2002 - In the MLS All-Star Game, a team of MLS players defeat the U.S. Men's National Team 3-2. D.C. United midfielder Marco Etcheverry is named MVP.
July 30, 2003 - Ronaldinho makes his debut for FC Barcelona against AC Milan in a pre-season tour of the United States. Ronaldinho had a goal and an assist as Barcelona defeated defending European champion AC Milan 2-0 in an exhibition game that drew 45,864 to RFK Stadium..
November 6, 2004 - D.C. United win the Eastern Conference final by tying the New England Revolution 3-3 and advancing on penalty kicks. They would go on to defeat the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 in the MLS Cup.
April 14, 2005 - Washington Nationals defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, before a crowd of 45,596, to win their first home opener in Washington, D.C. They go on to sweep the 4-game series.
April 11, 2006, vice president Dick Cheney is loudly booed upon throwing out the first pitch at the Nationals 2006 home opener. The Nats go on to lose to the Mets 7-1. [2]
June 18, 2006 - Washington Nationals defeat the New York Yankees on Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off home run, in front of a sellout crowd of 45,157 fans.
July 4, 2007 - Washington Nationals 1st baseman Dmitri Young hits a Grand Slam enroute to a 6-0 Nationals win over the Chicago Cubs before almost 40,000 fans.
August 9, 2007 - David Beckham debuts for the MLS LA Galaxy , losing to home team DC United before a sellout crowd of 46,686 fans, the 4th largest to watch MLS at RFK Stadium. Memorable games and moments at RFK Stadium
During the Redskins' tenure, the Washington Hall of Stars was displayed on a series of white-and-red signs hung in a ring around the stadium's mezzanine, honoring D.C. sports greats from various sports. With the reconfiguration of the stadium, it was replaced by a series of dark green banners over the center field and right field fences in order to make room for out-of-town scoreboards and advertising signage. There are 15 separate panels honoring 82 figures.
To the right of Panel 15 are four banners honoring D.C. United's MLS Cup wins: 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004. To the right of these banners is D.C. United's "Tradition of Excellence" banner, which honors John Harkes and Marco Etcheverry.

Panel 1 (furthest to the left when viewed from home plate, names read here from left to right are listed from top of display to bottom): Redskins football players Cliff Battles, Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell, Chris Hanburger, Jerry Smith, Len Hauss, Sammy Baugh and Pat Fischer.
Panel 2: Redskins Brig Owens, Larry Brown, Sonny Jurgensen, team founder-owner George Marshall, Vince Lombardi (who coached them for one season before his death), Dave Butz, Art Monk and Dick James.
Panel 3: Redskins Vince Promuto, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Mark Moseley, Doug Williams, John Riggins, coach George Allen and Ken Houston.
Panel 4: Redskins Joe Theismann, Billy Kilmer, Wayne Millner, Sam Huff, Gene Brito, Eddie LeBaron, Charlie Justice and Bill Dudley.
Panel 5: Edward Bennett Williams, Arthur "Dutch" Bergman and Jack Kent Cooke. Williams and Cooke were Redskins owners. Bergman coached in D.C. at The Catholic University of America, and then ran the corporation that lobbied for the building of RFK Stadium.
Panel 6: "New Senators" manager Gil Hodges, "Old Senators" player and manager Joe Cronin, New Senator Frank Howard, Old Senator owner Clark Griffith, and Old Senators Goose Goslin and George Case.
Panel 7: Josh Gibson, Bucky Harris, Walter Johnson, Chuck Hinton, Eddie Yost and George Selkirk. Gibson played for the Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues. Harris, Johnson and Yost played for the Old Senators. Harris also managed the Old Senators. Hinton played for the New Senators. Selkirk, who played for the Yankees, was the general manager of the New Senators.
Panel 8: "Old Senators" Mickey Vernon, Roy Sievers, Cecil Travis, Early Wynn, Joe Judge, Harmon Killebrew, Ossie Bluege and Grays star Walter "Buck" Leonard. Vernon also managed the New Senators.
Panel 9: Basketball figures Bones McKinney, Arnold "Red" Auerbach, Abe Pollin, Bob Ferry, Phil Chenier, Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. McKinney played for the NBA's Washington Capitols. Auerbach played in D.C. for George Washington University and coached the Capitols. Pollin owned the Baltimore Bullets and moved them to Washington, where they became the "Capital Bullets," "Washington Bullets" and now the "Washington Wizards." He also founded the NHL's Washington Capitals and built two area arenas: The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland and the MCI Center (now the Verizon Center) in downtown Washington. Ferry played for the Bullets in Baltimore and was their general manager in Washington. Chenier, Unseld and Hayes played for the Bullets in both cities. Unseld later coached them.
Panel 10: Olympic swimming gold medalist Melissa Belote, broadcaster Jim Gibbons, and golf figures Lee Elder and Deane Beman.
Panel 11: Capitals hockey star Rod Langway, tennis players Pauline Betz Addie and Donald Dell, and jockey Sonny Workman.
Panel 12: Boxers Bobby Foster, Marty Gallagher, Holly Mims, Sugar Ray Leonard and Steve Mamakos.
Panel 13: Soccer player Theodore "Ted" Chambers, soccer player and coach Gordon Bradley, sportswriters Morris "Mo" Siegel and Shirley Povich, and Griffith Stadium and RFK Stadium public-address announcer Charles Brotman.
Panel 14: "Heroes of Sept. 11th."
Panel 15: Concert Promoter Dave Williams. Washington Hall of Stars
RFK Stadium is within half a mile and easily accessible from the Stadium-Armory station of the Washington Metro. The station is served by both the blue and orange Metrorail lines, as well as by Metrobus lines B2, D6, E32 (at Eastern High School), 96, and 97.

Public transportation
RFK is home to such eateries as:

Forescore Grill
The Diamond Club
Burrito Brothers
Dominic's of New York
Stars and Stripes Brew
Red, Hot & Blue BBQ
AR Seafood Food vendors
Main articles: Presidents Race
During every Nationals game, RFK Stadium hosts a race of former Presidents of the United States. The promotion began in 2005 as a scoreboard animation. However, in 2006, the race began taking place on the field, with four people wearing caricature heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt entering the field through the right field fence in foul territory, and racing to the area behind home plate. The race has become a fan favorite in Washington, partially a result of the lackluster Nationals season. Most likely, this is inspired by or a homage to the popular Milwaukee Brewers' Sausage Race promotion and Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogie Races.
A running gag in the races has featured Roosevelt's continuing inability to win, having been (among other things) blocked by other Presidents, becoming disoriented and running into the outfield, and disqualified for using a golf cart.

Racing Presidents

Current

Washington Redskins (1961-1996)
Washington Federals (1983-1984)
Washington Senators (1962-1971)
Washington Freedom (2001-2003)
Washington Diplomats (1974-1981), (1991).
Washington Darts (1971)
Washington Whips (1968)