Trump to throw 1st pitch at Yankees game next month

President Trump on Thursday said he has accepted an invitation to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Yankees game next month.

Throwing the first pitch is a presidential tradition dating back to 1910, and this will be Trump's first time participating. Trump, who grew up playing baseball, told reporters that after team president Randy Levine asked him to throw out the first pitch on August 15, he asked, "How's the crowd going to be?" Because of the coronavirus pandemic, "you don't have a crowd," he added. "There's no such thing."

Trump made the announcement shortly before Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert and now a household name because of his role in the coronavirus response, threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Washington Nationals. Fauci's throw was pretty far off, but he can always use the excuse that he was trying to make sure the ball and home plate were social distancing. Catherine Garcia

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up