University Southern California Trojans
Bush to Throw First CWS Pitch
June 07, 2001 | Baseball
June 7, 2001
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - If his last performance on the mound is any indication, President Bush should start warming up now.
The White House confirmed Thursday that Bush will throw the first pitch at the College World Series on Friday.
Practice didn't make perfect for Bush in April, when he made a dismal ceremonial opening day toss at the Milwaukee Brewers' new stadium. Bush, a lifelong fan and former managing partner of the Texas Rangers, tossed around a baseball with aides for a week to prepare.
Despite that, the president froze during his follow-through, skipping the ball in the dirt before it thumped into the catcher's mitt.
Before the start of the first game, which pits Tulane against Stanford at 3 p.m. EDT, the president will meet with all eight of the teams in the College World Series.
The Secret Service had indicated this week that its agents were preparing for Bush to take the mound.
"We're ready for anything. We are going to deliver him safely to the stadium to do whatever he wants to do there," said Paul Johnson, the service's resident agent-in-charge in Omaha.
