Obama Throws Ceremonial First Pitch For Nationals Opening Day, Subsequent 97 Pitches

Story by Erik Mellgren 

| Published Apr 13, 2010

Last Monday, President Barack Obama kicked off opening day for the Washington Nationals by throwing out the honorary first pitch. As he headed back to the dugout, Obama was stopped with a bizarre request by Jim Riggleman, manager of the Nationals. Riggleman asked Obama if he would be willing to throw another 90-odd pitches and be the opening day starter.

“Sure that first pitch was a bit outside, but it still looked better than anything else we have in our rotation right now. We just need a guy to eat innings until we can call up Strasburg in June. If the President is willing to be that guy, then by god, we’ll take him,” Riggleman said in a post-game interview.

The secret service was reluctant to allow Obama to pitch, but after a little deliberation, he was outfitted with a jersey and sent to the mound. Obama started slowly, and had trouble getting out of the first inning, as he did not warm up beforehand. Obama threw surprisingly well, lasting six and a third innings with only eight earned runs and recording two strikeouts in the loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Jimmy Rollins was the only player to strike out to Obama, who went down swinging twice. "I'll tell you man, the president has one nasty slider."

After the game, Obama was visibly excited. “Now that health care reform has passed, I have some free time on my hands. I might as well pitch for the Nationals for a while, it’s not like the Republicans are going to let me get any legislation passed this summer. Plus, once I sign a contract it will count towards my totals for jobs created this past year.”

Obama was forced to leave the team for a few days to travel to Europe to sign a nuclear arms reduction treaty, but is now back with the team and scheduled to make his second career start tonight against the Colorado Rockies.