All signs point to President Trump being absent from Tuesday night’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Washington D.C., according to the Associated Press.
In the past, every president dating back to William Taft had thrown out a first pitch (or several) at a baseball game during their presidency. However, Trump has been the exception to the rule, and he is right to skip it: There’s no need for presidents to be throwing out first pitches at baseball games.
This century, fans have had the opportunity to see two presidents throw out first pitches. One of them, former President George W. Bush, a former part-owner of the Texas Rangers, was excellent at it.
In contrast, former President Barack Obama’s attempt to throw a baseball 60 feet 6 inches was humorously bad. On the broadcast of the game, they turned the camera so that people could not see where it landed.
The next year, however, fans got a true idea of his ability.
So, where did throwing a baseball get these men? It didn’t make a difference. They both had shortcomings as leaders. Even if Obama were athletically gifted (if he could throw a ball like late Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., could at the peak of his Hall of Fame MLB career) it would not change Obama’s responsibility for the skyrocketing price of the average American’s healthcare plan. And for Bush, his knack for throwing a baseball didn’t change the fact that when he left the White House, his approval rating was in the 20s.
Compared to the other responsibilities of the leader of the free world, throwing a baseball in front of a crowd before a game is futile. Major League Baseball shouldn’t expect Trump, or any other politician, to show up to their games for such a gesture.
Off the baseball diamond, Trump has been focused on more important pitches – to NATO allies to boost military spending (as they have pledged), trading partners to eliminate their trade barriers against the U.S., and Senate moderates in hopes that they will approve of his Supreme Court pick, Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Besides, giving politicians the opportunity to throw a first pitch at a game is, in a sense, honoring them. However, it is evident that politicians are not the kinds of role models this country needs, even if they put forth favorable policies. Presidents like Trump, Bill Clinton, and John F. Kennedy are not examples of faithful husbands. The late Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.V., was a klansman and late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., killed a woman. Not to mention credibly accused child molester Roy Moore came within two points of winning a Senate election.
Instead of worrying about the president’s presence at sporting events, the opportunity should instead be given to a combat veteran or another type of local hero who has earned such an honor.
And as for how Trump would do if he were to throw out a first pitch? He’d probably do fine. He was a pro baseball prospect in high school and had a competent throw at a Somerset Patriots (Atlantic Baseball League) game back in 2004.
If anyone is wondering what a hypothetical first pitch from Trump would look like, just picture that throw but with more boos. After all, he only got 4.1 percent of the vote in the nation’s capital in the 2016 presidential election, not that it matters now.
