Teddy mania reached a fever pitch during a June 2008 series against the Baltimore Orioles, part of the annual Beltway Series between the teams, when Teddy was tripped short of the finish line by the Orioles mascot "The Bird." On June 28, 2008, the Presidents Race was suspended for a day as Teddy won a one-on-one "grudge match" race against The Bird, giving Teddy his first victory. However, it was announced that the "unsanctioned" race would not be recognized in the standings by "The Presidents Racing Association of America." The next day, Teddy refused to race with the other presidents, choosing to help the Nationals grounds crew instead. The interleague rivalry between Teddy and the Orioles Bird extended into 2009, when the mascots tackled each other in back-to-back games at Nationals Park.