The idea of tossing out the first ball is relatively recent. None of the first 25 or so Presidents did it. Every president from Taft on threw out the first ball on opening day of a new major league season.
William Taft
Ford frick
William Howard Taft was the first President to do the honors when he threw a ball from his seat in the stands to the Washington Senator's opening day pitcher, Walter Johnson, on April 14, 1910.
William Howard Taft was the first to open the major league baseball season by throwing out the first pitch on April 14, 1910. McKinley threw out the first pitch in a minor league game as governor of Ohio before he was President.
President William Howard Taft threw out the first ball of the season starting the tradition.
Presidenrt William Howard Taft started the baseball tradition on Opening Day in 1910 at Griffith Stadium, home of the Washington Senators.
Presidenrt William Howard Taft started the baseball tradition on Opening Day in 1910 at Griffith Stadium, home of the Washington Senators.
George W. Bush was the first president to hold Little League tryouts on the White House lawn. Bush was the 43rd U.S. President.
The first President to throw out a first pitch in Major League Baseball was William Howard Taft in 1910. So none of the earlier Presidents did. Since then, every US President has tossed a pitch in either the All Star Game, the World Series, or the first game of the baseball season.
On Opening Day 2010, that was the Yankees first, Red Sox second, and Cubs third.
The first major league in baseball was the National Association whose first year was 1871.