Perhaps more so than any other sport, baseball is a sport of tradition ... which makes it notable that one famous tradition appears to be slowly dying. In 2005, president George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the season for the Nationals, the 46th time in 64 summers of baseball in the nation's capital that the commander-in-chief has performed such honors. But Bush missed last year's Opening Day, instead performing the honors for the Reds in Cincinnati, and he won't be there this year. From the
Washington Post:
"Oh, yes, he was invited," said Bush spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore. She said the president, an avid baseball fan and former part owner of the Texas Rangers, would love to be there. But "it's not possible with his schedule. He's got various meetings during the day, a meeting earlier in the morning. . . . It just wasn't going to work out."
With Bush's approval ratings stuck below 40 percent in recent polls, Lawrimore was asked whether the president feared he'd get booed. "No," she replied. "Certainly not."
Far be it for me to question the president's schedule, but I'm not sure I believe it. But, you never know, maybe he has Dontrelle Willis or Miguel Cabrera on his fantasy team and didn't want to get caught cheering for the visiting team.
