Ranking US Presidents’ First Pitches

The ceremonial first-pitch has become a staple throughout MLB. Dating back to the 1890s, actors, musicians, athletes and politicians have all found their arms tossing in a ball to kick off a major league game. 

When former President William Taft delivered the first-ever presidential first pitch in April 1910, a tradition among sitting presidents was born. 

This tradition has seen good and bad. Many presidents, some lovers of the game, have delivered absolute stinkers when it came time to fire it in, while others have made themselves look major league-worthy. 

As President Joe Biden sits in the Oval Office during the first week of his term, we’ll take a look at his predecessors’ first-pitches, from worst to best, and see what kind of competition he’s facing. We’ll dig into the mechanics, conditions and overall aesthetic of 10 presidential first pitches to determine if a White House pitching squad could be feasible.

No. 10: #42 Bill Clinton

I’ll be honest, I expected more out of the then-47-year-old president. It was a little disappointing that this southpaw couldn’t pump one in with some cheddar.

Nonetheless, Clinton’s first pitch at Camden Yards in ’93 was unique. It was the first time a U.S. president stood atop the rubber and fired to a catcher crouched behind the plate. Although he didn’t have much behind it, he opened the door — no more bottom of the mound nonsense. 

This could’ve easily been an all-timer; unfortunately, Clinton decided to play soft-toss. Now, we get flashes of what-could’ve-been — clean mechanics, great shoulder rotation; but no push-off, no leg-kick, no visible effort, and it was high and off-the-plate. Simply unfortunate.

No. 9: #45 Donald Trump

Trump did something not very nice as president. That’s right, he broke the century-long tradition of presidential first pitches while in office. However, before his presidency, Trump had thrown first pitches for both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Footage of these pitches appear to have been scrubbed off the face of the earth, but there is another fascinating video to behold.

In his youth, Trump had aspirations of becoming a professional baseball player — but apparently, life gets in the way sometimes. Trump’s baseball dreams almost got to see the light of day, however, when in 2004 his helicopter landed in the outfield of the TD Bank Ballpark, home of the Somerset Patriots and formerly a part of the independent Atlantic League between 1998 and 2020 (currently the Double-A affiliate of the Yankees).

Trump invaded the independent team’s field and after several warmup tosses in front of the first-base dugout, he charged the mound, delivered a fastball and then ran off. 

How he did it, I don’t know. The pitch was rushed and off-balance, but it was quite likely the hardest first-pitch I have seen out of any president. Blink, and you would’ve missed it.

He walked onto the mound and in the same motion fired a ball that bounced just before home plate before instantly walking off the mound. Maybe he had to go to the bathroom or perhaps his chopper was in danger of receiving a parking ticket, but I must admit, it was a pretty solid toss.

No. 8: #44 Barack Obama

Some first-pitches hit and some miss. Obama had a somewhat errant toss in 2010, but his 2009 All-Star Game sling should be celebrated. 

Donning a Chicago White Sox windbreaker before the Busch Stadium fans, Obama found himself throwing one of the better presidential first pitches of all time to C Yadier Molina. From a crouch and into a full wind-up, the 47-year-old channeled his inner Jamie Moyer, throwing an accurate dime. 

Although not speedy nor flashy, his fluid mechanics are quite a sight for sore eyes. I suppose that could be attributed to his youth.

No 7: #40 Ronald Reagan

Reagan, at one time, was a radio commentator for the Chicago Cubs. As an Illinois native his love for the Cubs was on full display when, in September 1988, as his tenure as president was coming to an end, Reagan threw on one of the coolest Cubs letterman jackets and threw a couple of pretty solid 77-year-old fastballs along with it. 

I rank Reagan so highly not because of his pitch quality but because of his insistence on a perfect first-pitch.

C Damon Berryhill stood before home plate and saw the president toss in a pitch that sportscaster Harry Caray called “high and outside.” It was far from the worst, but not near the best. Reagan’s grin didn’t wain and as Berryhill trotted out to the mound for an autograph, Reagan sent the rookie back out to the third-base line for another try.

Reagan stood again on the rubber and delivered quite the pitch. Superior speed, clean mechanics, some effort behind it and a look of “still got it.” It’s only a shame that Berryhill wasn’t behind the plate for that one.

No. 6: #38 Gerald Ford

Ford was known for being both a klutz and a great athlete — a strange combination. But the latter was on full display during the 1976 All-Star Game when Ford delivered two first-pitches, one with each hand.

In his left hand, a ball destined for the mitt of C Thurman Munson traveled to its destination and in his left hand, a ball set its sights on C Johnny Bench’s glove, making it there flawlessly. 

Both of these tosses were within relatively close range, but the fact of the matter is that he did something that almost none of us can do and made it look easy. He did it with symmetrical mechanics; each ball came out a mirror of the other. Excellent, fluid arm movement, but it makes you wonder if he could’ve done it from a longer distance.

Ford’s effortless mechanics from both sides shouldn’t come as terribly surprising. Ford once said he had “a life-long ambition to be a professional baseball player.” Well, it may have been scoffed at in the past, but we’ve got SHP Pat Venditte now. Ford was ahead of his time as an athlete and as a first-pitch pitcher, so it would seem.

No. 5: #33 Harry Truman

Is it a secret game that presidents play? Did they grow up throwing both left and right-handed? 

Truman found a way to deceive fans, the press and the stars on the field. His ability to throw a ball both left-handed and right-handed proved to be an act that would hold up throughout his presidency. 

He would alternate first pitches. Some days, he’d throw southpaw while other days, he’d go right. 

This act culminated on Opening Day in 1950 when Truman became the first president to throw two separate first pitches, one with each hand. Truman rifled in two great tosses, within seconds of each other, like it was clockwork. Each ball was located well, and the Washington Senators scrambled to play pick-up as the two bounced onto the field. I think he’d been practicing.

No. 4: #41 George H. W. Bush

In 1989, the left-handed George H. W. Bush marched onto the Memorial Stadium mound with veracity. The first true presidential southpaw in years delivered a high pitch that could’ve been a strike had Baltimore Orioles C Mickey Tettleton been behind the plate for it.

A lower-thirds delivery from the 65-year-old, paired with the notorious wind at Memorial Stadium, likely would’ve resulted in a called strike from the invisible first-pitch umpire.

However, because Tettleton came out from behind the plate, the former Yale star’s pitch and its luster will always be up for debate.

No. 3: #27 William Taft

There is zero evidence to back up my case, but photos suggest that Taft’s first pitches were among some of the most golden moments in the game’s history. 

Tipping the scales at 335 pounds, there is little doubt that Taft was also tipping his pitches — tipping them right to his intended target, that is. He looked like he threw gas … or had gas, anyway. 

The man was a Rembrandt and when he delivered the first presidential first pitch on April 14, 1910, he created an image that has lasted over a century. The first, first pitch, delivered to SP Walter Johnson, kicked off a season that saw the Big Train throw 370 innings to the tune of a 1.36 ERA. On that day, Johnson threw nine scoreless innings en route to a victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.

Perhaps it’s baseless to rank a president so highly on the list without video evidence, but when you’ve got a man who gets stuck in a bathtub firing in a ball of leather and lace, you better rank him high.

No. 2: #39 Jimmy Carter

Carter made one first-pitch pitching appearance as president and footage is somehow impossible to obtain. I suppose that can happen when you’re dealing with the ’79 Pittsburgh Pirates and a World Series Game 7.

However, 16 years later and at 71 years old, Carter threw one of the best first pitches of all time before game six of the ’95 World Series.

Carter, a colossal softball fan, spent time playing the sport before, during and after his presidency. 

Clearly, all of that softball resulted in one hell of an arm. His first pitch is an all-time great. On the rubber with a subtle wind-up, Carter delivered a perfect strike to INF Mike Mordecai. Gorgeous and with some zip to boot. Full arm extension and he pushed off the rubber.

I’ve often wondered how Carter does it. How does he stay active and in shape well into his nineties? Well now, I’ve got something else to wonder about. 

How did Jimmy Carter throw such a good first pitch? Oh, nuts. I’ll never know.

No. 1: #43 George W. Bush

You all saw it coming. I’m willing to bet that some of you scrolled down to see who No. 1 was, knowing full well that it’d be this man, and didn’t read an ounce of anything else written here. That’s fair. You’re a psychic. Embrace it.

I’ll take you back to 2001, when, two months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, George W. Bush’s then-early presidency was left with the seemingly impossible task of coping with the horrors of that tragic day. Bush announced plans to go to war and was, at the time, the great American hero.

His most famous moment post-9/11 isn’t necessarily a shoe-in, but one of his most iconic moments came before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series.

Everyone knows the story. The bulletproof jacket underneath his jacket, SS Derek Jeter telling him not to bounce the pitch and his insistence to throw at Yankee Stadium, not the airplane hangar then known as Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix. 

And everyone knows about the pitch itself. Perfect. C Todd Greene didn’t have to move. No framing needed. 

Despite being weighed down by a bulletproof vest, Bush’s standard right-handed delivery made him look like a slowed-down version of SP Roger Clemens. Bet you can’t guess who won that game. 

His shoulder, his leg-kick and his body, in general, rotated flawlessly. His follow-through, including his trot to the plate — like a closer who just picked up a save — was absolutely legendary.

If not for the intensity and importance of the game (that is, the World Series being played in New York City just after 9/11) this pitch likely would’ve ranked somewhere within the top five. But because of the magnitude of the situation and the smoothness that followed, there isn’t a person alive that would rank this elsewhere.

An all-time White House pitching staff, especially one based on just a few first pitches, would be priceless. But it is feasible, minus all the dying and such. There were presidents with confidence, some with gas, some with control and some with all three. As a new presidency gets underway, let’s all hope that Biden bolsters the pitching staff like we know he can. I think there’s still room for an ace.