by Vance Garnett and Bill Kennick, managers.
| Because of what was considered an inappropriaterelationship with a woman in the White House, the president of theUnited States was being severely criticized by the press. It was learned thathe had been frequently entertaining a woman in the White House, and thiswithin eight months of his wife's death. Consequently, the media of 1915chided President Woodrow Wilson unmercifully. In fact, one morning TheWashington Post had to send personnel scampering around town to retrievecopies of an early edition, after discovering an embarrassing typographicalerror. An article had intended to state that President Wilson had spent theevening entertaining Mrs. Galt, but someone had inadvertently left out thethird syllable of entertaining. |
During that game, a Bostonpitcher, with a fairly impressive season of 18-6, sat in the dugout. Red Soxmanager Bill Corrigan considered it foolhardy to entrust a World Series gameto a rookie so George Herman"Babe" Ruth warmed the bench. |
| For theirfirst "coming out" public appearance together, the president
and thewidow, Edith Galt, chose the wholesome venue of a baseball game.
But not justany game, mind you. A World Series game.
The third game of the Series being played at Philadelphia's Shibe Park. The twosome watched a contestbetween the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox while many of thefans at the ballpark kept one eye on them. After President Wilson, an avidbaseball fan, tossed out the ceremonial ball, home-plate umpire Charlie Rigler returned the ball to the visiting president as a souvenir. |
Some presidents have been genuinely fondof the game. Others have simply found it politically expedient to drapethemselves in the beloved banner of baseball, especially during an electionyear or in times of personal trouble. Certainly, few activities offer apresident a greater photo op than pitching or tossing out a ceremonial ball toopen a new season of baseball or a World Series. Some presidents have hadtheir personal favorite teams. Herbert Hoover, for one, was a die-hard fan ofConnie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics.
Most, however, came to adopt thehometown Senators as their team. PerhapsRichard Nixon said it best when he said, " You've got to be a realbaseball fan to be a fan of the Washington Senators." Here's tothe real baseball fans! Vance Garnett
copyright 2000-2006 Vance and Geri Garnett