Home Run Derby

President George W. Bush has always been a big fan of baseball.  And I suppose that means he can’t be that bad of a guy.

He’s always had a pretty impressive baseball pedigree.

• Bush played Little League baseball as a child – and is the only US President to have played Little League … more on that later.
• Bush had collected over 250 autographed baseballs while governor of Texas (probably way more now). 
• Bush’s great uncle was one of the original owners of the New York Mets … which may have inspired W to own a ballclub of his own.
• Bush was the former owner of the Texas Rangers and helped get a new stadium for the Rangers.

And quotes like this display that it’s not all for show …

“I don’t know how I fell in love with baseball, I just loved to play it. Everyone who loves baseball can remember the first time he saw the inside of a real major league park with real big-league players. It stays with you forever – the greenness of the grass, the sight of major leaguers in uniform, the sound of a big-league swing meeting a big-league pitch.”

“I never dreamed about being President, I wanted to be Willie Mays.

That man gets it.  About baseball, anyway.

So it was no surprise that he would be a familiar face at baseball games throughout his Presidency.  And now, on his last day as President of the United States … let’s look back at where Bush has been …

April 6, 2001 – Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI

President Bush and Baseball commissioner Bud Selig threw out the ceremonial first pitches at the Milwaukee Brewers’ brand-new Miller Park. 

Have there ever been two more disliked CEO’s together on a pitcher’s mound?

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