Posted on 03/31/2008 8:52:52 AM PDT by RDTF
WASHINGTON - President Bush had enough to worry about — like not flubbing the first pitch in front of a crowd that might not exactly be his biggest fans anyway.
So before the game, when a couple of Atlanta Braves gave him a team jersey and suggested he wear it to throw out the first pitch at Nationals Park, Bush laughed. Uh, no thanks, guys. Might as well put on a sign that says "Boo me."
"I'm not going to give them any excuses," Bush said of the 40,000-plus people gathered for the opening of Washington's gleaming baseball stadium.
Over in the Nationals' swank clubhouse, general manager Jim Bowden told the president he expected him to throw a strike. More pressure.
"Shhh," Bush responded. "Keep expectations low."
By the time Bush emerged onto the baseball field, he had ditched the gray sports coat and popped out of the home dugout in a red Nationals jacket. He was greeted by plenty of loud jeers, but also determined cheers, as if the fans in both camps were trying to outduel each other.
The president didn't dawdle on the pitcher's mound. He quickly released the ceremonial first pitch high and to the third-base side of the plate, where Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta caught it with ease.
It wasn't surprising that Bush's pitch went high. People tend to have long memories when the ball is bounced to home plate. So Bush made time this week to hurl some practice pitches in his backyard — the South Lawn of the White House. He took some private throws just before his prime-time toss Sunday.
"I didn't want to bounce it, that's for certain," Bush later told ESPN announcers Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. "That's why I came in with high heat."
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Actually a pretty fair article, I guess this writer will be getting fired
THE motto of the Bush Administration. Unfortunately, IMO he has succeeded even these lowered expectations in very many ways.
He needs to get back to socializing the banking industry.
NOT!
He should have come out on the field in an “Operation Chaos” shirt and cap. That would have really p!ssed off the America Hating Democraps in the crowd.
Didn’t he throw a strike early in his administration at a game?
MM
I did not know that President Bush played baseball for Yale at all. Imagine the way this would have been described if ex42 had ever played on a sports team.
Typical Washington baseball fans - half of them left by the fifth inning.
Typical Washington baseball fans - half of them left by the fifth inning.
. . .
AT least he doesn’t throw like a girl. Didn’t Kerry or Gore dribble the ball to the plate? And what’s this about Obama bowling a 37 in Penn this weekend? Surely that’s a partial score.
Amazing how the Liberals can’t distinguish between Politics and baseball.... They swore that the Boo’s were personal and totally disregard the jacket and the sport..... Idiots can’t be reasoned with...
If Obama gets elected it is the end of this great country for sure.
They are first, ‘classless Liberals’ by definition. . .They are classless ‘fans’. . .by necessity.
Well, given that ‘gutter balls’ don’t count; think that IS his total score. . .
I think his father had been a varsity baseball player at Yale. He was also Ws little league coach, IIRC.
GWB seems to have wanted to follow his father in so many ways.
IIRC, it was at Yankee Stadium in the first game back after September eleventh. If he were a 'rat, the video of that event would have been shown so many times by now that everyone would know about it.
I am so going to miss this man! I don’t care what any one says about him I think he will be remembered as a great President. I didn’t agree with him about immigration but Bush is a class act as is Laura and the whole family. I can only imagine what the WH will be like if either dem gets in or even McCain who is sketchy at best. Bush can look in the mirror every night and know he did a great job and kept the country safe from terror strikes in spite of the left’s efforts to undermine him at every turn.
Yes, that was my thought as well.
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