AN ARTICLE FROM THE BASEBALL MAGAZINE:SEPT.

ONEMOREINNING

          

         THE WEST WING:PRESIDENTIAL BASEBALL

         Baseball and the presidency have been intertwined since the beginning of

         the  Major leagues.   Here  are  some  presidential  firsts  through  the years

 

THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO ATTEND A MAJOR LEAGUE GAME WAS BENJAMIN HARRISON IN 1892. IT FEATURED CINCINNATTI AGAINST WASHINGTON.

 

1912:  THE TITANIC SINKS AND PRESIDENT TAFT, WHO WAS TO HAVE THROWN OUT THE OPENING DAY PITCH CANCELS,  AND VICE PRESIDENT SHERMAN BECOMES THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT TO DO SO.

 

1915: THE WORLD SERIES IS 12 YEARS OLD AND PRESIDENT WILSON COMES TO THE SECOND GAME.  HE BECOMES THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO ATTEND A SERIES GAME.

 

1924:  “SILENT CAL”, CALVIN COOLIDGE THROWS OUT A WOBBLY PITCH (IT HITS THE GROUND) TO THE CATCHER, MAKING HIM THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO DO SO IN A WORLD SERIES GAME.

 

1948: NIGHT GAMES WERE NO LONGER A NOVELTY AND HARRY TRUMAN HAS THE DISTINTION OF BEING THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO COME TO ONE.

 

1965: LYNDON JOHNSON BECAME THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO DEDICATE A NEW STADIUM. IT WAS THE ASTRODOME IN HOUSTON TEXAS.

 

1965: THE ONLY PRESIDENT TO BE OFFERED A MAJOR LEAGUE POSITION (PLAYERS REP TO THE ML PLAYERS ASSOCIATION) WAS RICHARD NIXON. HE REFUSED, CLAIMING HE WAS NEEDED IN POLITICS.

 

1969: HOW MANY PEOPLE GET TO SEE A TRIPLE-PLAY?  TRICKY DICKIE WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO SEE ONE WHILE APPEARING AT A GAME.

 

1970: STICKING WITH NIXON, HE THREW OUT THE FIRST PITCH WHILE AT THE FIRST ALL STAR GAME PLAYED AT NIGHT.

 

1976: GERALD FORD (REMEMBER HIM?) WAS THE FIRST AND LAST PRESIDENT TO THROW BOTH LEFTY AND RIGHTY . IN THE ’76 ALL STAR GAME HE THREW A PITCH TO JOHNNY BENCH RIGHTHANDED,  AND ONE TO CARLTON FISK LEFTHANDED.

 

1984: THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES INVITED PRESIDENT REAGAN TO WATCH A BALLGAME FROM THEIR DUGOUT. YUP, HE WAS THE FIRST TO DO SO.

 

1988: FORMER SPORTS BROADCASTER RONALD REAGAN BECAME THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO DO THE PLAY-BY-PLAY OF A GAME. IT LASTED ONE  AND A HALF INNINGS.

 

1993: TAKING A BREAK FROM HIS DEALINGS WITH INTERNS, PRESIDENT CLINTON THREW THE BALL TO THE CATCHER WITHOUT A BOUNCE. NO PRESIDENT HAD EVER ACCOMPLISHED THAT BEFORE.

 

2004: NO PRESIDENT HAD EVER BEEN A MANAGING PARTNER OF A BASEBALL TEAM BEFORE BECOMING PRESIDENT. ENTER GEORGE BUSH.