President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday that he will not be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, as planned, at an empty Yankee Stadium prior to the Aug. 15 game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Trump instead claimed he will be focused on "scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else" concerning COVID-19. He added that he intends to throw out a first pitch "later in the season."
Trump had announced on Thursday night his original intentions to throw a first pitch. That news came an hour before the Yankees kicked off Major League Baseball's 2020 regular season against the Washington Nationals. Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the ceremonial first pitch in that game.
Trump has not thrown out a first pitch since becoming president. In March 2019, Phil Hecken of Uni-Watch outlined the history of the presidential first pitch, including how the practice originated with William Howard Taft some 110 years ago.
Trump did attend a World Series game in Washington, D.C. last year when the Nationals hosted the Astros, and he welcomed the champion Nationals to the White House after they won the title.
MLB originally intended to launch its season on March 26, but the league was forced to alter those plans because of the spread of the novel coronavirus. As it stands, MLB intends to play a 60-game season with an expanded postseason -- if the pandemic allows for it, this year's playoffs will feature 16 teams instead of the typical 10.
