It’s Opening Day at Nationals Park where the Washington Nationals are getting ready to kick off the 2009 Major League Baseball season by hosting the Atlanta Braves. It’s twenty minutes before game time and the umpires are going over the ground rules with the managers of the two teams. As the crowd stands for the National Anthem, the President and his family, in first-row box seats, next to the Washington Nationals’ dugout, place their right hands over their hearts and turn to face Old Glory, rippling in the center-field breeze, and sing along with the tens-of-thousands of other fans on this beautiful Spring afternoon.
Over the ballpark P.A. comes the announcement that the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Out his box seat strides the President, proudly wearing a Nationals ball-cap and jacket, which also sports the Presidential Seal, waiving to the enthusiastic crowd. As he walks by the Nationals' dugout, he is greeted by their manager, Manny Acta, and Jesus Flores, the Nationals' catcher, who hands the President a brand-new National League baseball. The President shakes hands with the two beaming gentlemen and a lengthy discussion ensues.
Suddenly, Manny Acta turns and waves his right hand to the bullpen, and then gestures to the batboy. At this point, the 41,000-plus Opening Day crowd is thoroughly confused, but on the edge of their seats. Right-hander Josh Banks, acquired from the San Diego Padres in the off-season, runs in from the outfield and greets the President who then hands him the baseball. Banks takes the mound and starts to throw some warm-up pitches. In the meantime, over in the on-deck circle, the President selects, from a half-dozen bats proffered by the bat-boy, a 30-ounce, white ash beauty. The President takes a few practice cuts and is ready to go.
As he walks towards home plate, the batboy catches up with him and hands him a helmet and a pair of batting gloves. After doing a fist-bump with the batboy, the President dons the helmet and gloves and steps into the batter’s box and makes a wise crack to Flores, the catcher. History is being made here folks, as no U.S. President has ever ventured beyond the pitcher’s mound, never mind risking sure embarrassment at home plate. But something is different this time. There is an air of clarity and confidence about the President as he prepares himself for the first pitch.
Josh Banks, remembering Manny Acta’s admonishment not to bean the President of the United States, winds up and throws an 80-mile-per-hour low fastball at which Obama swings gracefully but misses. Loyal fans cringe at the prospect of the President being ridiculed by right-wing, couch-potato, talk-radio personalities that have never themselves played the game. The President opens his stance slightly in hopes of getting the bat around just a little quicker. The windup, the pitch, and Obama fouls it off towards the visitor’s dugout. At least he made contact.
The President steps out of the batter’s box, tightens his gloves, and waves to his wife and daughters, still sitting in their box seats next to the dugout. The president steps back into the batter’s box, takes a couple of half-swings to loosen up, and awaits the next pitch. It’s a fastball, waist-high, and with a crack of the bat, the ball sails over the head of the pitcher into deep center field. The crowd goes wild. Players from both teams spill out of their dugouts and eagerly await their turn to shake the President’s hand. Finally, with a hearty wave to the crowd, and smile of satisfaction on his face, President Obama walks towards his box seat to join his cheering family and enjoy the game. As the players take the field, the smiling Commander-in-Chief thinks to himself, "I’m going to like this job."