Home Run Derby

So President Obama is a big fan of the Chicago White Sox.  

Or so he tells and shows us.  Over and Over.

Like last night during the All-Star game when he wore his White Sox jacket to throw out the first pitch (not so sure I liked that) and told Joe Buck and Tim “Corpse” McCarver he was a fan of the White Sox.

Not to mention a few times on the campaign trail last spring, summer, and fall.  And an interview on ESPN where he took a few digs at Cub fans.

But if he’s such a big White Sox fan, why doesn’t he know the name of their home stadium? 

Case in point:  President Obama referred the White Sox’ ballpark as ”Cominskey Field” during an interview on MLB TV with Bob Costas.  It used to be called Comiskey Park.

Roll Video …

http://www.dailymotion.com/videox9vh4r 

“I do think that there’s a different quality to what used to be Cominskey Field vs. Wrigley”

Oh boy.  That’s like calling the Cubs’ stadium “Wrigley Park” instead of “The World’s Largest Outdoor Bar.”   A White Sox fan would rip a new backside into any Cub fan who did that.

Even if he had said “Cominskey Park”, I could see it as a slip of the tongue.  But Cominskey FIELD?   Obama moved to Chicago in 1985.  Back when the old Comiskey Park was still around. 

Teleprompter comment in 3 … 2 … 1 …

Tonight, President Barack Obama will throw out the first pitch at the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis.  He’ll be the first sitting president to throw out a pitch at an ASG since Gerald Ford in the 1970’s.

There will be much pomp and circumstance and many Cardinals fans will cheer very loudly for our Commander-in-Chief as he throws out the first pitch … even though it will kill any chance the Cardinals have for winning the World Series in 2009. 

Why?  

Well, no MLB team that’s had a sitting President throw out the first pitch at a game in their Home Stadium has won that year’s World Series in over 77 years.

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Back in the mid-1980’s, thanks to a big push by First Lady Nancy Reagan, everyone was on a big “Don’t Do Drugs” kick.

Cocaine was the big scourge back then, both on the street and in MLB clubhouses.  

In 1983, the Kansas City Royals had four players sent to prison for trying to purchase Cocaine.  The 1985 Pittsburgh Drug Trials led MLB Commissioner Peter Uberroth to hand out fines or suspensions to eleven players in 1986.  It’s believed that the Hall of Fame candidacies of Tim Raines, Dave Parker and Keith Hernandez have all suffered because of their association with the trials (and drug use).

In order to help improve their image, MLB unleashed a big ol’ Anti-Drug campaign … complete with players (presumably drug-free) making Public Service Announcements telling you about the dangers of Drugs (specifically cocaine). 

Here’s four 1986 PSA’s featuring a quartet of future Hall of Famers.

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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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We all saw Oprah Winfrey (talk show host and Barack Obama supporter) on Tuesday night at the historic Obama Victory Rally in Chicago. 

But what you probably didn’t know was that it was a historic night for Oprah for another reason as well.

Oprah Winfrey used a port-a potty for the first time … ever.

I heard Oprah talking on WLS-AM earlier this week and she said she had never used a port-a-potty before. 

“In all these years at every event, I’ve said, ‘No, I’m not going to do the Port-a-potty’ but I said I better use it.”

I guess there’s some “Change” Oprah doesn’t believe in. As in having to change her pants after the rally because she wouldn’t use the portable bathroom.

I figured someone would have pictures. Sure enough …

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The most annoying Chicago Cub fan/attention whore on the planet and self-anointed Cubbie mascot Ronnie “Woo Woo” Wickers is apparently a big fan of Barack Obama.

Ugh.

First the possible jink from the Cubs/Obama T-Shirt … and now this.

Here’s video of Ronnie Woo-Woo doing his thing before the Indiana primaries earlier this year.

I’m told that Ronnie Woo-Woo is wandering the streets of Chicago today (what else is new) in advance of the Obama rally in Grant Park.

UPDATE: we’ve obtained video of Woo-Woo in Grant Park. I think it’s the first video of Woo-Woo I’ve ever seen where he’s being quiet.

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This might be the best T-Shirt I have seen in a looong time.
Because Donuts and Bacon are indeed, taste we can believe in.

I hope the Obama campaign doesn’t shut him down for copyright infringement.

Yes, I just ordered one. And now I’m all hungry for breakfast,too.

You can get yours here.

I’m so mad I didn’t think of that. By the way, that might be the first post at HRD not related to baseball in any way.

Two of the last three Debates between the Republican and Democratic candidates for President and Vice-President have all been in direct competition with Playoff Baseball.

The Debate committee has got to get its priorities straight. 

The Vice-Presidential Debate on October 2nd was up against Game 2 of the NLDS between the Cubs and Dodgers at Wrigley Field.  And last night’s Presidential Debate was up against Game 5 of the NLCS between the Phillies and Dodgers. 

I had a hard time choosing between the events.  I was using the clicker to flip back and forth between  that Dodgers-Cubs game and the Palin-Biden debate.

Apparently, I wasn’t alone. 

Here’s a screen shot of CNN Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin during the October 2nd VEEP Debate - he’s at MLB.com’s GameDay, following the Cubs-Dodgers game on his laptop.

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