William Taft started the tradition of presidents throwing a ceremonial first pitch. He did it on opening day (April 14) of 1910, throwing the first pitch to Walter Johnson. One of his predecessors, William McKinley, had thrown a ceremonial first pitch when he was Governor of Ohio, but not when he was president.
All the presidents since William Howard Taft in 1910 have thrown out the first pitch on opening day at least one year. None the presidents before Taft performed this ceremony.
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.
Willian Howard Taft threw out the first ceremonial first pitch in the Washington Senators home opener against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1910.
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.
Wiiliam H. Taft
lighting the white house Christmas tree, when a represenatative dies from another country, attending their funeral, throwing the first pitch of the baseball season.
George Washington.
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.
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 ceremonial "first pitch" to open the 1910 season for the Washingto Senators home opener against the Philadelphia Athletics.
Willian Howard Taft threw out the first ceremonial first pitch in the Washington Senators home opener against the Philadelphia Athletics in 1910.
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.
Jimmy Carter
On April 14, 1910, President William Howard Taft began the tradition of the President throwing the first pitch at the baseball season opener. Legend has it that President Taft was also responsible for baseball's seventh inning stretch. While attending a baseball game, President Taft rose to stretch between halves of the seventh inning. The crowd (ever polite, as baseball fans are) rose in unison out of respect for the President. The tradition continues to this day.
William Howard Taft
On 04-14-1910 President William H. Taft threw out the first pitch on Opening Day To start the 1910 season. Walter Johnson caught the ball. The home team Washington Senators were playing the Philadelphia Athletics.
Baseball history reports that President William Howard Taft was the first president to throw out the ceremonial "first pitch" in the Major Leagues. He did so to open the 1910 season in Washington when the Senators hosted the Philadelphia Athletics to start the season. By the way, Walter Johnson shut out the A's 1-0 with a one-hitter on opening day, however, the A's recovered and went on to win the American League and beat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.
Since the tradition was began by Taft in 1910, Jimmy Carter was the only president who never threw out an opening day pitch . He did throw out the first pitch at a World Series game in 1079.