Maybe They Were Yelling B-o-o-o-o-sh!

Perhaps the most unpopular president in American history was on hand for opening day in Washington D.C. to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the brand new Nationals' stadium. George W. Bush is certainly not the first American President to throw out the first pitch. This tradition dates back to 1910 and the days of William H. Taft. Although this ritual was of the norm, the surprising factor was the reaction from the crowd of baseball fanatics. The mood of the masses shifted from nervous anticipation to instant disapproval. Our commander and chief received an overwhelming amount of boo's as he stepped onto the field sporting a Washington Nationals jersey.



George W. Bush is a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers and a known fan of the team. Yet, on this day he was sporting a different shade of red. Were the fans possibly worried that Bush might jinx their team and its new stadium? Or were these boo's perhaps politically driven? Needless to say the Washington Nationals' won their home opener off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman as he hit a walk-off home run to beat the Braves 3-2.

The underlining question remains: Could the negative reaction of a fan base out of the Washington D.C. area, a region where the president normally conducts everyday business be in bad taste for the team? Politics are not something I personally enjoying discussing as it seems to be a sensitive topic for the mass majority. However, whether one supports or opposes Bush was voiced in the form of jeers. On this day the crowd reaction sent a message not only to baseball fans but to the entire country.

Despite the pressure, GW delivered a fairly decent pitch before walking off the field to join sports analysts in the booth for commentary. The Nats are currently 3-4 and sit in third place in the NL East Division. The moral of the team seems to be down however as they have dropped 4-stright games. On the other end of the spectrum, the Presidential Election is just around the corner and the country appears to be anxious for the up-coming incumbent.



It would seem that D.C. loves their Nationals and their new stadium, yet they may not be dedicated members to the George W. Bush fan club. Who doesn’t love a good ole' country boy from Texas?
-DP.