‘Philly girl’ Jill Biden will be at big game, not shy about picking a side
WASHINGTON — Jill Biden won’t let even a White House gala get between her and the Philadelphia Eagles.
After a late night entertaining governors with President Joe Biden at a blacktie dinner on Saturday, the first lady was heading for the Super Bowl in Arizona today with hopes of watching “the Birds” defeat the Kansas City Chiefs and claim the NFL title.
First ladies have been mainly because of the involved with sports in a strict security requirements variety of ways over the authorities would need to years, from throwing out the impose upon the tens of first pitch at baseball games thousands of fans. President to representing the United Biden will be at the White States at the Olympics. But House today.
Jill Biden’s unabashed public Boston University communications expressions of support professor Tammy for Philadelphia’s teams — Vigil said first ladies usually she grew up in suburban aren’t seen as overt sports Willow Grove — are a rare fans because many of them kind of devotion. have not been, even though
“The first lady is a proud they often participate in the Philly girl and devoted sports ceremonial aspects of some fan, and is excited to cheer on sports. Timing could also be a her hometown team for the factor for Jill Biden, she said. Super Bowl,” said her spokesperson, “Her teams happen to Vanessa Valdivia. be very successful at the
At a time when national time she occupies the White politicians often avoid taking House,” Vigil, author of sides in sports contests, “Melanie and Michelle,” a Jill Biden, a community college book about first ladies, said professor, wears her in an email.
Eagles and Phillies garb in Biden also uses her interest public and tweets photos of in sports to highlight one herself watching games in of the causes she promotes the private cabin on a government as first lady: cancer awareness. plane. She has appeared at
She and her grandson, Eagles and Phillies home Hunter, were at the stadium games, including the World in Philadelphia on Jan. 29 Series, in recent months to when the Eagles won the cheer patients and boost NFC championship. The league efforts at promoting 16-year-old will join her again early detection. today. There is a long history of
“I’m going. I’ll wave to first ladies and their involvement you at the game,” the first with sports, especially lady was overheard telling baseball, according two girls about the Super to the National First Ladies’ Bowl when she visited California Library. And for some, their last weekend. interest continued, or even
No sitting president has deepened, after they left the attended a Super Bowl,* White House.
Grace Coolidge enjoyed baseball more than President Calvin Coolidge did. “He did not share my enthusiasm for baseball,” she once said. Within months of becoming first lady, she appeared at a game for the first time, bringing the president to a World Series game between the New York Giants and Washington Senators in 1924.
After leaving the White House, Grace Coolidge became a regular at Boston’s Fenway Park, rooting for the Red Sox from a reserved seat just above their dugout.
Bess Truman joined President Harry Truman for opening day of Washington Senators’ games, but also went alone or with her daughter and friends. When the Trumans returned to Missouri after his presidency, she split her loyalties between the Kansas City Athletics (and later, the Kansas City Royals) and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pat Nixon was the first first lady to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for a major league team, doing so at the second game of the 1971 World Series in Baltimore. For a time, she would watch one football game during the weekend.
“However at one time, I followed teams and then, of course, I wouldn’t miss a game,” Nixon said in a 1971 television interview.