President Donald Trump has declined to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ opening day.
The White House has passed on an invitation to take the mound at the Nationals’ season opener Monday against the Miami Marlins. The White House cited a scheduling conflict.
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The tradition of presidents throwing ceremonial first pitches dates back 107 years to when William Howard Taft opened the Washington Senators’ season in 1910. Since then, 13 presidents have thrown out a ceremonial pitch at a baseball game. Every president since Ronald Reagan has taken part in a ceremonial first pitch during his first year in office.
Presidents Bush in 2008 and Obama in 2010 threw the first pitch of the season for the Nationals.
The last time Trump took the mound to throw a ceremonial first pitch was in 2006 in a game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston.
