President-elect Joe Biden gestures on stage after speaking Saturday night in Wilmington, Del.
Associated Press
Joe Biden’s calendar is already filling up.
The Democrat had not been president-elect for a full day before the Washington Nationals extended an invitation for him to throw out the first pitch of their baseball season.
“We’re excited to continue the long-standing tradition of sitting presidents throwing out the first pitch at the home of the national pastime in our nation’s capital,” the team tweeted Saturday night, in a subtle dig at President Donald Trump.
Trump was the first president since Jimmy Carter to not throw out a first pitch on Opening Day, declining the Nationals’ invitation in 2017. Every other president since William Howard Taft in 1910 took part in the annual tradition.
After the Nationals invited Dr. Anthony Fauci — a noted Nats fan — to throw out a first pitch in July, Trump announced that he would throw the first pitch at a Yankees game in August. However, that apparently was news to the Yankees, who reportedly had never extended an invitation. Trump later canceled the non-event, saying he would be busy that day.
Trump’s last appearance at a Nationals game was no fun for him either — during an appearance at the 2019 World Series, the Washington crowd booed Trump, chanting “Lock him up!”
There was no confirmation yet if Biden would take up the Nationals on their offer. Opening Day is scheduled for April 1 at Nationals Park against the New York Mets.
