Stephen Strasburg isn’t the only pitcher who will be missing from the mound when the Washington Nationals host the Atlanta Braves this afternoon to open the 2011 Major League Baseball season. President Barack Obama won’t be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch either.
Like Strasburg, the 22-year-old phenom who underwent Tommy John surgery in September to repair ligament damage in his right elbow, Obama may be letting his wounds heal. The president got a PR pummeling earlier this month for taking time away from world affairs to appear on ESPN to reveal his March Madness basketball picks.
Or perhaps the president is still sensitive after the national chortling he set off when he appeared in his high-waisted “dad jeans” at an earlier All-Star Game — although he seemed to make up for that fashion flub at last year’s home opener when he sported khaki trousers, a red Nats jacket and a Chicago White Sox cap as he launched a high toss in the direction of Ryan Zimmerman.
Another possibility is that Obama’s absence could be calculated to avoid a possible boo beatdown from fans unhappy with … well, pick your gripe. It wouldn’t be the first time a baseball crowd heckled a president: As the Great Depression and Prohibition dragged on in the early ‘30s, Herbert Hoover was verbally roughed up at a World Series game in Philadelphia by a crowd that chanted “We want beer!”
Whatever the reason for Obama’s absence, he is departing from a largely unbroken, century-old tradition that began with William Howard Taft on opening day 1910 when the hometown Senators took on the Philadelphia Athletics. (The Senators won, 3-0, as Walter Johnson fired a one-hitter.) For you trivia fans, the first president to take the show on the road was Richard Nixon, who launched the 1973 season from Anaheim Stadium, home of the California Angels. (They won, too, 3-2.)
This isn’t Obama’s first whiff. He skipped out on the 2009 opener as well, sending Joe Biden to Baltimore in his place. In characteristic fashion, Biden trotted to and from the mound like a JV player getting his big break.
In Obama’s (and Biden’s) place this year, the Nationals will have five flag officers — one from each branch of the U.S. military — throw the ceremonial first pitches. It’s safe to say no one will boo them.
4 comments:
Cmon obama! Throw a first pitch somewhere! You can release your march madness picks but you cant attend a baseball game? This is athletic discrimination!! I thought we were working away from discrimination with obama as president but this shows the opposite. Quite hypocritical obama. Baseball is better than basketball anyway!!!! Baseball is America's pasttime. Mix in a patriotic appearance eh? Sheer disappointment...
Baseball season is finally here! I hope our president is caught between the safety of his citizens and the total destruction of Lybia, if he is missing the opening pitch. Really the fact that he isnt there doesn't really bother me. I am actually more happy that our military was the one who opened up baseball season. It reminds us that they are as important if not more important than the president. Not a bad move Mr. Obama
I don't see a problem with him going to the basball game or anything. Everyone needs a break every once in a while because we are only human. He might have jus wanted a break from all the stress from being the President. It's a different story if he wasn't actually doing his job but no one can tell if he is actually doing his work or not. But by the time his term ends, we will see if he actually was doing his job to his fullest or not and if he wasn't he won't be president for the next term.
Typical of the president if I do say so myself. Actually, I can't remember ever hearing of a president taking time away from international affairs to comment on his March Madness basketball picks. Like anyone would really care anyway. Although, flag officers throwing the opening pitch is a fresh change. And I just have to agree, no one will be booing those guys. God Bless America!
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