Ceremonial first pitch
The ceremonial first pitch is longstanding ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Most often the guest stands in front of the pitcher's mound and throws towards home plate, though sometimes he or she may stand on the mound (as a pitcher would) or throw from his or her seat in the stands. The recipient of the pitch is usually a player from the home team.
The ceremonial pitcher 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. Japan also sees its own superheroes giving the first pitch.[1] Often, especially in the minor leagues, multiple first pitches are made.
Presidents and First Pitches
President William Howard Taft started the tradition in 1910 at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C., on the Washington Senators' Opening Day. Every President since Taft has thrown out at least one ceremonial first pitch, either for Opening Day, the All-Star Game, or the World Series, usually with much fanfare.
List of Presidential first pitches
- 1910 - William Howard Taft - Washington Senators
- 1913 - Woodrow Wilson - Washington Senators
- 1915 - Woodrow Wilson - Washington Senators
- 1915 - Woodrow Wilson - Philadelphia Phillies (World Series)
- 1916 - Woodrow Wilson - Washington Senators
- 1921 - Warren Harding - Washington Senators
- 1922 - Warren Harding - Washington Senators
- 1923 - Warren Harding - Washington Senators
- 1924 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators
- 1924 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators
- 1924 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators (World Series)
- 1925 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators (World Series)
- 1927 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators
- 1928 - Calvin Coolidge - Washington Senators
- 1929 - Herbert Hoover - Washington Senators
- 1929 - Herbert Hoover - Philadelphia Athletics (World Series)
- 1930 - Herbert Hoover - Washington Senators
- 1930 - Herbert Hoover - Philadelphia Athletics (World Series)
- 1931 - Herbert Hoover - Washington Senators
- 1932 - Herbert Hoover - Washington Senators
- 1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1934 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1935 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1936 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1937 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1937 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - All-Star Game - Washington, DC
- 1938 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1940 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1941 - Franklin D. Roosevelt - Washington Senators
- 1946 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1947 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1948 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1949 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1950 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1951 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1952 - Harry Truman - Washington Senators
- 1953 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1954 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1955 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1956 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1957 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1958 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1960 - Dwight Eisenhower - Washington Senators
- 1961 - John F. Kennedy - expansion Washington Senators
- 1962 - John F. Kennedy - Washington Senators
- 1963 - John F. Kennedy - Washington Senators
- 1964 - Lyndon Johnson - Washington Senators
- 1965 - Lyndon Johnson - Washington Senators
- 1967 - Lyndon Johnson - Washington Senators
- 1969 - Richard Nixon - Washington Senators
- 1970 - Richard Nixon - All-Star Game - Cincinnati
- 1973 - Richard Nixon - California Angels
- 1976 - Gerald Ford - Texas Rangers
- 1976 - Gerald Ford - All-Star Game - Philadelphia
- 1979 - Jimmy Carter - Baltimore Orioles (World Series)
- 1984 - Ronald Reagan - Baltimore Orioles
- 1986 - Ronald Reagan - Baltimore Orioles
- 1988 - Ronald Reagan - Chicago Cubs - Wrigley Field
- 1989 - George Bush - Baltimore Orioles
- 1989 - George Bush - California Angels
- 1989 - George Bush - Baltimore Orioles
- 1990 - George Bush - Toronto Blue Jays
- 1990 - George Bush - Baltimore Orioles
- 1991 - George Bush - Texas Rangers
- 1992 - George Bush - Baltimore Orioles
- 1992 - George Bush - All-Star Game, Jack Murphy Stadium
- 1993 - Bill Clinton - Baltimore Orioles - Camden Yards
- 1994 - Bill Clinton - Cleveland Indians - Jacobs Field
- 1996 - Bill Clinton - Baltimore Orioles - Camden Yards
- 2001 - George W. Bush - Milwaukee Brewers - Miller Park
- 2001 - George W. Bush - New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium (World Series)
- 2004 - George W. Bush - St. Louis Cardinals - Busch Stadium
- 2005 - George W. Bush - Washington Nationals - RFK Stadium
- 2006 - George W. Bush - Cincinnati Reds - Great American Ball Park
References
- ^ Ultraman Mebius and Kamen Rider Den-O ceremonial first pitch. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.