There’s common ground to be found in first pitches
The first pitch is a scene quite familiar to us — especially when presidents of the United States take part in this annual ritual. Almost every president from William Howard Taft to Barack Obama has thrown a first pitch. Today, it’s commonplace to have politicians, actors, musicians or athletes from other sports throw out the first pitch. Despite having experience throwing out a first pitch as a private citizen on multiple occasions, President Donald Trump declined to participate last year. There’s been no indication he will be throwing out a first pitch this week.
The first opening-day ceremonial pitch likely has Ohio origins. Ohio Gov. William McKinley is believed to have been the first politician to throw out a first pitch, in an 1892 game between Columbus and Toledo. The first presidential first pitch is believed to have come from President William Howard Taft (another Ohio connection) before a 1910 Opening Day game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.
Most opening-day first pitches occur in Washington, D.C. In 1973, President Richard Nixon threw the first pitch outside the nation's capital when he participated in Anaheim, California. He also threw out the first pitch for the 1970 All-Star game in Cincinnati.
Early presidential pitches took place from the stands — with the president throwing the ball onto the field. However, President Ronald Reagan became the first to throw the ball while standing on the field.
In the wake of the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, our nation looked to sports as part of the healing process. The World Series that year featured the Arizona Diamondbacks and, fittingly, the New York Yankees. When President George W. Bush was set to deliver the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3, the moment carried much more weight than the normal pomp that accompanies a presidential first pitch. The moment would also stand as a symbol — both to the nation and to the world — about the country’s resolve.
The moment was not without levity, including the president fretting that the bulletproof vest underneath his clothes, mandated by the Secret Service, would hamper his throwing ability. Just before the pitch, Yankees legend Derek Jeter gave some last-minute advice to the president, saying, “Don’t bounce it. They’ll boo ya.”
On that crisp fall night of October 30, 2001, Bush took the mound (one more added degree of difficulty, most throw from in front of the mound) wearing a New York Fire Department pullover and delivered a perfect strike.
As yet another baseball season gets underway, there will be first pitches thrown from both local and national politicians, actors, musicians and retired hall-of-famers — and perhaps even from the POTUS. Opening day is the one moment where for each team anything is possible. Fans of every team all have equal hope that this is the year they win it all. It’s the one time when all teams have an equal chance to win. In some ways it’s akin to the American dream — where every team has the same chance to succeed through their hard work and perseverance.
It’s that combination of hope, pride, celebration and enthusiasm that unites a country on this one special day. And there’s nothing more patriotic than that. Maybe that’s what playwright Richard Greenberg meant when wrote in his Broadway play "Take Me Out" — “Democracy is lovely, but baseball’s more mature.”
Play ball!