De Blasio Joins First Pitch Club

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joined an exclusive club Monday afternoon: That of high-profile New York politicians to toss out ceremonial first pitches at major or minor league baseball games.

De Blasio’s first pitch before the Mets’ home opener at Citi Field yesterday preceded a Mets’ loss to the Nationals. He became one of numerous mayors to open Major League games for either the Mets or the Yankees. G

overnors have also tossed pitches, with Mets fan David Paterson throwing out a first pitch in 2008 on Jackie Robinson day, Eliot Spitzer opening a Buffalo Bisons game in 2006 when the team was a Cleveland Indians affiliate and George Pataki teaming up with then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani to throw out dual ceremonial pitches at Yankee Stadium in 1995.

Presidents have also gotten in on the action. Franklin D. Roosevelt threw out 11 first pitches, though nine were for Washington Senators’ games and only one was for a Yankees game in New York.

A month after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, George W. Bush—a Texan born in Connecticut—threw an emotional first pitch strike prior to Game 3 of the World Series game between the Yankees and Diamondbacks in the Bronx.