Obama Turns in Solid Performance on the Mound
President pumps fist after tossing ceremonial first pitch at MLB All-Star Game.
July 14, 2009 -- President Obama may not have a future in the big leagues after he leaves the White House, but he held his own on the mound tonight, throwing out his first ceremonial first pitch as president before Major League Baseball's All-Star Game.
As Obama, wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket in honor of his favorite team, walked to the mound, there were scattered boos but mostly cheers.
With no hesitation or pause, Obama threw a solid pitch, if a bit of a floater, from the rubber, reaching the glove of St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols.
Check out ESPN's Photo Gallery of Presidential First Pitches.
Obama smiled during his windup and release and pumped his fist after Pujols caught the ball. The Cardinals first baseman may have provided a presidential edge, inching up a bit on home plate.
Obama shook hands with St. Louis baseball legends Bob Gibson, Bruce Sutter, Lou Brock, Red Schoendienst, Ozzie Smith and Stan Musial, who were on the field for the first pitch.
Sitting in the Fox broadcast booth during the second inning, Obama explained why he wore the White Sox jacket.
"Everybody knows I'm a White Sox fan. My wife thinks I look cute in this jacket, so, between those two things, why not?" he told Fox's Tim McCarver and Joe Buck
Obama said he is not a Chicago Cubs hater, like so many White Sox fans are.
"I just don't root for them, that's all," he said.
Obama made not claims to having great baseball skills.
"I'm a great baseball fan. I didn't play organized baseball when I was a kid, so I think some of these natural moves aren't so natural to me," he said.
The president deferred from picking a 2009 World Series winner but said there is a lot of parity in the sport, which he considered a good thing.
"Everybody around the country has a little bit of hope for their team. ... Maybe the exception would be the Nationals who are still young and just had a new ballpark," Obama said, referring to his new hometown team in Washington.
Before the game, Obama visited both the American and National league clubhouses.
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