Hurlers in Chief

Since George Washington and his men played a pre-baseball game called rounders at Valley Forge, U.S. presidents have had various connections to the national pastime. Sixteen U.S. presidents-all but one since William Howard Taft-have thrown out first pitches at home openers. (Jimmy Carter never threw a first pitch while in office, but his brother Billy and mother Lillian did.) Some genuinely loved the game, others thought it was just good politics.

SOURCES: Baseball-Almanac.com, Baseball Hall of Fame, official White House Web site, Sports Illustrated, Washington Post archives, other published reports.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH PHOTO AND BILL CLINTON PHOTO BY THE WASHINGTON POST, ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS; REPORTING BY BONNIE BERKOWITZ AND JULIE TATE; GRAPHIC BY THE WASHINGTON POST