Obama delivers high and wide
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama toed the rubber wearing a red Nationals jacket. Then, he whipped out a black Chicago White Sox hat from his pocket.
Obama delivers high and wide
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama toed the rubber wearing a red Nationals jacket. Then, he whipped out a black Chicago White Sox hat from his pocket.
The crowd booed.
In a herky-jerky motion, Obama delivered the ceremonial first pitch. It sailed high and wide, above the lefthanded batter’s box. Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman stood from his crouch and reached to catch the ball.
The crowd booed again.
Obama had reportedly been practicing the first toss with two aides in the days leading up to opening day. That didn’t work out too well.
But Obama was received with mostly cheers when he first stepped onto the field. He shook the hands of wounded soldiers, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman and children of deployed soldiers.
Obama’s first pitch marked the 100 anniversary of President William Howard Taft throwing out the first pitch on April 14, 1910. He was the first president to throw the first pitch on an opening day.
Obama also visited the two clubhouses prior to going onto the field. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins strolled into the visitors’ clubhouse at Nationals Park early Monday morning with a Barack Obama poster under his left arm hoping to secure an autograph from the Commander in Chief.
One thing Bush could do better than Obama is throw a strike without looking like a sally.— Echo
Comment removed.- Obama, wide left. Go figure...— Grill
- I got a thrill up my leg when he threw that pitch.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- Comment removed.
- high and to the left...obama's supporters— en37
- You folks are so f-ing funny! Making lefty jokes about a Democratic President. And you're not making money with that clever material?— ksam
- Ksam - given Obama's economic policies nobody can make money with clever material or anything else for that matter.— erformc1
- Comment removed.
- What Matt Gelb failed to mention is that Taft's ceremonial first pitch came before a game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics. That year (1910) the A's won Philly's first World Series, the first of three championships in four years.— everydayguy
- People, this is a baseball game. It's not about politics. At all. No, seriously, nothing close to it. Was a President's pitching skill on your list of voting criteria? Do the people you know in person leave you no ability to speak your opinion because it is as idiotic as the comments you leave about....baseball? Please let me know if you have any information on how pitchters who register as Independent voters pitch in night games on natural grass.— gfstallin
- Was Obama wearing his mom jeans and white sneakers with black sox? Any links?— valentsgrif
- Comment removed.
- Obama is a high and wide pantload!— BillyFortune
- gfstallin - the problem is, Obama makes everything about politics. By the way, that "pitch" was high and wide left, as previously mentioned here.— davesju93
