George W. Bush to throw out ceremonial first pitch at Game 1 of World Series
George W. Bush will throw out the ceremonial first pitch of Game 1 of the World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday before the World Series opens at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, is a former owner of the Rangers franchise. In 1989, team owner Eddie Chiles sold the Rangers to an investment group led by Bush for a reported $89 million. Bush had a small financial stake among the ownership team, but was named managing general partner. He left the Rangers when he was elected Texas governor in 1994, and sold his piece of the franchise four years later.
Bush has thrown three ceremonial World Series first pitches, with arguably the most famous coming at Yankee Stadium before Game 3 of the 2001 World Series.
That World Series, won by the Diamondbacks, was played with extra tight security in place, especially in New York just two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The other two times he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before a World Series game were in 2010 when the Rangers took on the San Francisco Giants, and in 2017 when the Houston Astros took on the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bush's first pitch will be caught by Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, who spent 13 of the 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Texas Rangers.
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Before Game 2, the first-pitch honors will go to former Rangers great Adrian Beltre, who will toss to another ex-Rangers star, Baseball Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins.
The 2023 World Series marks the first time Arizona has made it back to the Fall Classic since 2001. The Rangers were last at this stage in 2011, and are searching for their first World Series championship.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former president George W. Bush to throw first pitch at World Series Game 1
