A Nationals Holiday

Mothers get a Day—and a baseball card—in Washington

"THIS SUREBEATS a plain old Mother's Day card," says Nationals pitcher John Patterson(right), and he's right. He's talking about a trading card that pictures him asa Texas high schooler next to his mother, Cheryl. The Pattersons (above) areone of nine mother-player pairs the Nats are featuring in a set of Upper Decktrading cards that the team will give out to fans who attend their Mother's Daygame against the Marlins.

THE PROMOTION IS afollow-up to a similar Father's Day giveaway last June. On each card, alongwith the player's statistics, is a memory from Mama. Chad Cordero (third fromtop) is pictured as a baby in the arms of his mother, Patricia (left), whorecalls of the Washington closer, "When he learned to walk he made a broom,spatula, fly swatter, just about anything into a bat."

THE NATIONALS WILLalso fly in each featured mom for the game; they'll be presented with jerseysbefore the game. Catcher Brian Schneider (left, and top right) says that whenit comes to feting, his mom, Karen, is easy to please: "[She] liked thegift in second grade that was made out of macaroni noodles," he says. Stillhe and outfielder Nook Logan are thrilled that their mothers are getting a dayin the sun. "Moms like this type of stuff," says Logan, posing withGlenda (right). "Other mothers will be comparing their flowers, and candy.Mine is going to be on a collector's item."

The Pop CultureGrid

Brain MARCUS GILES Padres 2B I don't know Everything. I like all music Nothing Dirty dancing Running Cellphone ANDRES NOCIONI Bulls F Swing between buildings Anything by Los Piojos Everything The tango Push-ups Wallet and cellphone AARON HILL

Blue Jays 2B Climb the Empire State Building Any song from Metallica's black album My whole body; it's a grind The shopping cart Squats Underwear

FOUR PHOTOS

COURTESY OF UPPER DECK (NATIONALS CARDS)

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TONY FIRRIOLO/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (PATTERSON)

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MARK GOLDMAN/ICON SMI (SCHNEIDER)

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MITCHELL LAYTON/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (CORDERO)

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MITCHELL LAYTON/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES (LOGAN)

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CHITOSE SUZUKI/AP (TWELLMAN)

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ROBERT BENSON/US PRESSWIRE (GILES)

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FRANK GUNN/AP (HILL)

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JOHN BIEVER (NOCIONI)

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COLUMBIA PICTURES/PHOTOFEST (SPIDERMAN)

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LIVE/ARTISAN (DIRTY DANCING)

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JOHN PAUL FILO/CBS/AP (SANJAYA)

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MANFRED KAGE-PETER ARNOLD (BRAIN)

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FREDDY PEROJO (UNDERWEAR)