Ceremonial first pitch

The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Originally, the guest threw a ball from his/her place in the grandstand to the pitcher or catcher of the home team, but the ritual changed after President Ronald Reagan threw the first pitch on the field at an unscheduled appearance at a Baltimore Orioles game. Now, the guest stands in front of the pitcher's mound and throws towards home plate. He or she may also sometimes stand on the mound (as a pitcher would). The recipient of the pitch is usually a player from the home team.

Woodrow Wilson, Washington Senators home opener v. New York Yankees, Griffith Stadium, April 20, 1916.
Richard Nixon, Opening Day, Washington Senators v. New York Yankees, RFK Stadium, April 7, 1969.
Ronald Reagan, Chicago Cubs v. Pittsburgh Pirates, Wrigley Field, September 30, 1988.
George W. Bush, 2001 World Series Game 3, Yankee Stadium, October 30, 2001.

The ceremonial thrower may be a notable person (dignitary, celebrity, former player, etc.) who is in attendance, an executive from a company that sponsors the team (especially when that company has sponsored that night's promotional giveaway), or a person who won the first pitch opportunity as a contest prize. Often, especially in the minor leagues, multiple first pitches are made.

The practice of having ceremonial first pitches dates back to at least 1890, when throwers were often a mayor, governor, or other locally notable individual.[1] Ohio Governor (and future U.S. president) William McKinley, for example, "threw the ball into the diamond" before an opening day game between Toledo and Columbus in 1892.[2] Former Japanese Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the first game of an American All-Star team's tour of Japan in 1908, making him possibly the first person who had served as a national head of government to throw out a first pitch.[1][3]

On April 23, 2012, the Texas Rangers executed a unique twist on the first pitch tradition. Before the Rangers' home game against the New York Yankees, the team held an official retirement ceremony for longtime catcher Iván Rodríguez. Instead of going to the pitcher's mound, he went behind home plate and threw the first "pitch" to longtime teammate Michael Young, who was standing at second base.[4]

On July 23, 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, threw the first pitch of the 2020 MLB season after it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Presidential first pitches

The American tradition of presidential first pitches began in 1910, when President William Howard Taft threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Senators' Opening Day at Griffith Stadium. Every president since, with the exception of Donald Trump, has thrown out at least one ceremonial first pitch during or after their presidency, either for Opening Day, the All-Star Game, or the World Series, usually with much fanfare.[6]

President Franklin D. Roosevelt has thrown the most presidential first pitches while in office at 11, which is also tied (with President George W. Bush) for the most presidential first pitches overall, including those thrown after leaving office.[7] Other than Trump, Jimmy Carter is the only president so far to not have thrown the ceremonial first pitch for an Opening Day during their presidency, though he later did so after he left office.[7]

Presidential First Pitches
Year President Ballpark Notes
1910 Opening Day William Howard Taft National Park First sitting president to participate in Opening Day ceremonies; preceded Washington Nationals–Philadelphia Athletics game on April 14.[8]
1911 Opening Day William Howard Taft National Park The National Park where the first-ever presidential ceremonial first pitch was thrown burned down in March 1911, and a new stadium, also called National Park at first, was built in its place. It would be renamed Griffith Stadium in 1923.[7]
1912 Opening Day Vice President
James S. Sherman		 National Park Taft did not attend because of the death of his friend Archibald Butt in the Titanic disaster.[7]
1913 Opening Day Woodrow Wilson National Park [9]
1915 Opening Day Woodrow Wilson National Park [9]
1915 World Series Woodrow Wilson Baker Bowl Wilson's first public appearance with then-fiancée Edith since their engagement.[9][10]
1916 Home Opener Woodrow Wilson National Park Nationals defeated New York Yankees on April 20.[9][11]
1921 Opening Day Warren G. Harding Griffith Stadium First loss for the Nationals with a president throwing out the first ball.[7]
1922 Opening Day Warren G. Harding Griffith Stadium [7]
1923 Opening Day Warren G. Harding Yankee Stadium [7]
1923 Opening Day Warren G. Harding Griffith Stadium Done two days after his first pitch at Yankee Stadium.[7]
1924 Opening Day Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium [7]
1924 World Series Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium [7]
1925 Opening Day Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium [7]
1925 World Series Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium [7]
1927 Opening Day Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium [7][9]
1928 Opening Day Calvin Coolidge Griffith Stadium Coolidge left after the first inning due to cold weather.[7][9]
1929 Opening Day Herbert Hoover Griffith Stadium [7]
1929 World Series Herbert Hoover Shibe Park Held two weeks before the Wall Street Crash of 1929.[7][12]
1930 Opening Day Herbert Hoover Griffith Stadium [7]
1930 World Series Herbert Hoover Shibe Park [7]
1931 Opening Day Herbert Hoover Shibe Park Hoover was received by a mixed audience, with some opposed to Prohibition chanting "We want beer!"[7][13]
1932 Opening Day Herbert Hoover Griffith Stadium [7]
1933 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1933 World Series Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1934 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1935 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1936 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1936 World Series Franklin D. Roosevelt Yankee Stadium [7]
1937 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium A plane flew overhead carrying a banner reading "Play the game, don't pack the court," in protest of Roosevelt's failed Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937.[9]
1937 All-Star Game Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1938 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1940 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium Roosevelt's pitch hit a Washington Post camera.[7][14]
1941 Opening Day Franklin D. Roosevelt Griffith Stadium [7]
1945 World Series Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium First left-handed presidential ceremonial first pitch.[7]
1946 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1947 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1948 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1949 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1950 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium Truman threw out two balls, one left-handed and one right-handed.[7]
1951 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1952 Opening Day Harry S. Truman Griffith Stadium [7]
1953 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium Eisenhower skipped Opening Day to play golf at Augusta National, but the game was postponed by rain and he threw out the first ball at the rescheduled game.[7][9]
1954 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium [7]
1955 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium [7]
1955 World Series Dwight D. Eisenhower Ebbets Field [7]
1956 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium [7]
1958 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium [7]
1959 Opening Day Vice President
Richard Nixon		 Griffith Stadium Eisenhower did not attend and was represented by Nixon.
1959 Old-Timers' Day Former President
Herbert Hoover		 Yankee Stadium [15]
1960 Opening Day Dwight D. Eisenhower Griffith Stadium [7]
1961 Opening Day John F. Kennedy Griffith Stadium [7]
1961 Old-Timers' Day Former President
Herbert Hoover		 Yankee Stadium [15]
1962 Opening Day John F. Kennedy D.C. Stadium The recently constructed D.C. Stadium would later be renamed the RFK Stadium after Kennedy's brother Robert F. Kennedy in 1969.[9]
1962 All-Star Game John F. Kennedy D.C. Stadium All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.
1963 Opening Day John F. Kennedy D.C. Stadium [7]
1964 Opening Day Lyndon B. Johnson D.C. Stadium Set a record for most hot dogs eaten by a president on Opening Day: four.[7]
1965 Opening Day Lyndon B. Johnson D.C. Stadium [7]
1967 Opening Day Lyndon B. Johnson D.C. Stadium [7]
1968 Opening Day Vice President
Hubert Humphrey		 D.C. Stadium Due to low approval, Humphrey attended in-place of Johnson amidst public unrest following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.[16]
1969 Opening Day Richard Nixon RFK Stadium Nixon requested the presidential seal to be mounted on his box, causing embarrassment when the seal provided had "president" misspelled.[7][9]
1970 All-Star Game Richard Nixon Riverfront Stadium All-Star Game in Cincinnati, Ohio.[7]
1973 Opening Day Richard Nixon Anaheim Stadium First Opening Day held outside of Washington, D.C.[7]
1976 Opening Day Gerald Ford Arlington Stadium [7]
1976 All-Star Game Gerald Ford Veterans Stadium Ford threw two pitches (with the first from his right hand and the second from his left) from the stand, one to a representative from the National League and the other to a representative from the American League.[7][17]
1979 World Series Jimmy Carter Memorial Stadium Baltimore Orioles catcher Rick Dempsey playfully yelled, "Next time, get your ass here before the seventh game," in reference to Carter skipping the Opening Day.[7]
1984 Opening Day Ronald Reagan Memorial Stadium Reagan made an unannounced trip to Baltimore, after it was initially cancelled for security reasons. He watched the game from the third-base dugout.[9][18]
1986 Opening Day Ronald Reagan Memorial Stadium [7]
1988 Regular Season Ronald Reagan Wrigley Field Reagan threw two pitches prior to the Chicago Cubs–Pittsburgh Pirates game on September 30, then joined Harry Caray for 1½ innings on the WGN telecast.[8][9]
1989 Opening Day George H. W. Bush Memorial Stadium President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak was Bush's special guest, but did not partake in the pregame ceremonies. The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox 5–4 in 11 innings.[7][19]
1989 Japan Series Former President
Ronald Reagan		 Tokyo Dome Game 3 between the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Yomiuri Giants.[20]
1990 Opening Day George H. W. Bush SkyDome First Opening Day pitch by a president to be thrown in Canada.[7]
1990 Regular Season Vice President Dan Quayle Wrigley Field May 24, 1990
1991 Opening Day George H. W. Bush Arlington Stadium [7]
1991 Opening Day Vice President Dan Quayle Memorial Stadium Final Opening Day at Memorial Stadium
1992 Opening Day George H. W. Bush Oriole Park at Camden Yards First MLB game at Camden Yards.[7][9]
1992 All Star Game George H. W. Bush Jack Murphy Stadium Threw first pitch with Ted Williams
1993 Opening Day Bill Clinton Oriole Park at Camden Yards Before this, most presidents threw from the stands or at the base of the pitcher's mound; Clinton was the first president to successfully throw from the pitcher's mound to the catcher.[7][9]
1993 Opening Day Vice President Al Gore Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
1994 Opening Day Bill Clinton Jacobs Field First MLB Game at Jacobs Field.[7]
1995 World Series Former President
Jimmy Carter		 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium [7]
1996 Opening Day Bill Clinton Oriole Park at Camden Yards [7]
1997 Opening Day Bill Clinton Shea Stadium [7]
2000 Opening Day Bill Clinton Pacific Bell Park [7]
2000 Opening Day Governor George W. Bush The Ballpark in Arlington Future President
2001 Opening Day George W. Bush Miller Park MLB Commissioner Bud Selig (a former owner of the Brewers) threw out the first pitch to celebrate the opening of the new park; Bush threw the second pitch.[7]
2001 World Series George W. Bush Yankee Stadium This was the first World Series game in New York since the September 11 attacks; Bush wore a bulletproof vest and a Secret Service agent dressed as an umpire so he could be on the field.[7]
2003 Opening Day Former President
George H. W. Bush		 Great American Ball Park
2004 Opening Day Former President
Jimmy Carter		 Petco Park First MLB Game at Petco Park
2004 Opening Day George W. Bush Busch Stadium [7]
2004 Opening Day Vice President Dick Cheney Great American Ball Park
2005 Opening Day George W. Bush RFK Stadium 2005 was the Nationals' first season, making Bush the first president to throw out first pitch in Washington since Richard Nixon in 1969.[7]
2005 American League Championship Series Game 2 Senator Barack Obama U.S. Cellular Field Future President
2006 Opening Day George W. Bush Great American Ball Park First sitting president to participate on Opening Day in Cincinnati; preceded Reds–Cubs game on April 3.[7][8]
2006 Opening Day Vice President Dick Cheney RFK Stadium
2006 Regular Season Donald Trump Fenway Park Future President, threw first pitch on August 18, 2006.
2008 Opening Day George W. Bush Nationals Park This was the first pitch in new stadium. Bush also participated in ESPN's TV broadcast of the game and called the ballpark's first home run, hit by the Braves' Chipper Jones in the 4th inning.[7]
2009 Opening Day Former President
George W. Bush		 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington Bush had owned the Texas Rangers in the early 1990s.
2009 Opening Day Vice President Joe Biden Oriole Park at Camden Yards
2009 All-Star Game Barack Obama Busch Stadium [7]
2009 Japan Series Former President
George W. Bush		 Tokyo Dome Game 3 between the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and the Yomiuri Giants.
2010 Opening Day Barack Obama Nationals Park 100th anniversary of the first Presidential Opening Day ceremonial first pitch.[7]
2010 World Series Game 5 Former President
George W. Bush		 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington First World Series home game in franchise history; former President Bush - who owned the Rangers when the stadium was built - was accompanied to the mound by his father, George H. W. Bush, and Texas Rangers team president Nolan Ryan.
2011 College World Series Former President
George W. Bush		 TD Ameritrade Park Omaha This pitch marked the first game at the new home of the College World Series, replacing the nearby Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium. Before Bush threw out the first pitch, his father, who played for Yale in the first CWS in 1947, delivered a video message christening the new stadium. He is the first President to have thrown ceremonial first pitches for amateur and professional (both North America and Japanese) championship matches.[21]
2011 World Series Game 4 Former President
George W. Bush		 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
2015 American League Division Series Former President
George H. W. Bush		 Minute Maid Park Bush, aged 91, accompanied by his wife Barbara and in a wheelchair with a neck brace, threw the Houston Astros' first pitch at Game 3 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals.[22]
2017 World Series Game 5 Former President
George W. Bush		 Minute Maid Park Bush was accompanied and given the first pitch ball by his father, George H. W. Bush.

References
  1. Brown, Peter Jensen. "President Taft, Governor McKinley and the "Lucky Seventh" Inning – the History and Origins of the Ceremonial "First Pitch" and the "Seventh Inning Stretch"". Early Sports 'n' Pop-Culture History Blog. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. "Governor McKinley Started It". Omaha Daily Bee. April 17, 1892. p. 2.
  3. "American Baseball Team is Victorious". Los Angeles Herald. November 23, 1908. p. 6.
  4. Durrett, Richard (April 24, 2012). "Ivan Rodriguez announces retirement". ESPN. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  5. https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/07/23/anthony-fauci-first-pitch-nationals-yankees-opening-day
  6. Duggan, Paul (April 2, 2007). "Balking at the First Pitch". The Washington Post. p. A01.
  7. Wulf, Steve (April 3, 2017). "From Taft to Trump: Scouting presidential first pitches". ESPN. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  8. Wallner, Jeff. "President Bush tosses Opening pitch", MLB.com, Monday, April 3, 2006
  9. Glass, Andrew (April 9, 2019). "JFK throws out first pitch on opening day, April 9, 1962". Politico. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  10. Beschloss, Michael (October 24, 2014). "The President Attends the World Series". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  11. President Woodrow Wilson Baseball Game Attendance Log Baseball Almanac
  12. Walsh, Tom (March 30, 2017). "President Hoover's torrid love affair ... with baseball". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  13. D. Treese, Joel. "President Herbert Hoover and Baseball". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  14. "President Franklin Roosevelt Baseball Game Attendance Log". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  15. "Old Timers' Day, New York Yankees Stadium, August 8, 1959". Hoover Heads. Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. August 16, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  16. Allen, Scott (March 29, 2018). "Fifty years ago, Nats' Opening Day was postponed after assassination of Martin Luther King Jr". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQxKwhk0HVM
  18. Putzel, Michael (April 3, 1984). "Reagan Makes A Surprise Visit". Associated Press. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
  19. Dowd, Maureen, "Bush Takes Mubarak Out to the Ball Game" The New York Times, Tuesday, April 4, 1989
  20. Thurber, David (October 24, 1989). "Reagan Throws First Pitch in Japan, Nearly Hits Batter". Associated Press. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  21. "Vanderbilt opens College World Series, new stadium with win". ESPN. Associated Press. June 18, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  22. "Pres. George H.W. Bush, 91, throws out first pitch at Royals-Astros game (+video)". Kansas.com. October 12, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
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