On April 9, 1962, President John F. Kennedy waited out a rain delay and threw the ceremonial first pitch to open up Washington’s new $23 million D.C. Stadium for its inaugural baseball season. The stadium had initially opened the previous fall for Redskins football on October 1, 1961. More than 44,000 fans attended the Senators’ Opening Day in April as they defeated the Detroit Tigers, 4-1.
At Griffith Stadium on October 4, 1924, Calvin Coolidge became the first United States President to attend a World Series opener. The Giants managed to defeat the hometown Senators in 12 innings that day, with a score of 4-3.
The first U.S. President to attend a major league baseball game was Benjamin Harrison, who attended a contest between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Senators on June 6, 1892 in Washington, D.C. Cincinnati defeated the Senators, 7-4, in eleven innings at Boundary Field.
I watch a lot of baseball on radio.
~Gerald Ford
At Griffith Stadium on April 10, 1961, President John F. Kennedy threw out the first pitch, launching the inaugural season of the “new” Washington Senators. The throw was the longest and hardest thrown ceremonial first pitch in history, as it flew over the players lined up in front of the presidential box. In the game, the White Sox defeated the Senators 4-3.
The video below not only shows the first pitch, but also explains how the “old” Senators had moved to Minnesota to become the Twins.
We are inclined to think that if we watch a football game or a baseball game, we have taken part in it.
~John F. Kennedy
