Ryan Howard Enjoys a Pre-Game Smoke

Before the Phillies-Nationals game today, MASN cameras caught Ryan Howard taking a quick drag off a cigarette that was passed to him by Jayson Werth.

I'm not sure whether that's a normal pre-game ritual or whether it was a tribute to Phillies' announcer Harry Kalas (who certainly had the voice of a smoker).
Right before the first pitch of the game, the cameras cut to the Phils' dugout as Werth was passing the lit cigarette to the 2006 MVP, who took it, cast a furtive glance around him, had a quick puff and then passed it back.
It should be noted, that smoking is banned inside Nationals Park and in all Washington D.C. places of business (except, maybe, the White House).
Either way, not a bad weekend for smokers. One day after a chain smoker wins The Masters, the best home run hitter in the league is seen taking a puff in the dugout. This guy would be proud.

Update: In a blow to anti-smoking crusaders everywhere, Ryan Howard has a home run and 3 RBI today. The Phils beats the Nationals 9-6, which may lead to GM Ruben Amaro Jr. installing a hookah in the team's clubhouse.

Update x2: Awesomely, the pre-game smoke was, indeed, a tribute to Harry Kalas. From Philly.com:

Victorino said the tribute, which was captured by television cameras, was a fitting one.

"I asked for it and a couple of other guys thought it would be cool to do," he said. "It was like, why not? So we called who we could -- I forget who had 'em, but we got 'em.

"I just thought, what did you always see him doing, other than broadcasting or being with his family? It's an HK thing, you know? It's so sad. Just sad."