The Nationals are going hard after the nation's new "First Fan."
Washington team president Stan Kasten said the club is attempting to get President Barack Obama to commit to throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the April 13 home opener against the Phillies, continuing a presidential tradition that dates back to William Howard Taft in 1910. Obama is highly sought-after this year. The White Sox are also attempting to get the new president, a South-Sider and longtime Sox fan, to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day at U.S. Cellular Field (April 6).
The Nationals hope Obama becomes a regular at Nationals Park, much as former president George W. Bush did during his second term. Bush, a former owner of the Rangers and devout baseball fan, threw out the first pitch at the first home game in Nationals history at RFK Stadium (April 14, 2005) as well as at the first game at Nationals Park (March 30, 2008). In between, he also attended three other Nationals games as a fan, showing up unannounced and sitting in the owner's box.
Since Taft began the tradition at Griffith Park in 1910, every man who has been president while Washington was home to a major league team has thrown out a ceremonial first pitch at least once. Only those presidents whose terms came during the 33-year absence of baseball in the District (Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton) have not participated in the time-honored tradition.
