President Obama to Throw First Pitch at Nats Home Opener

I'm reposting this from DCist -- the Nats Triple Play crew will be out.

I'm just starting to care again about baseball.

-- Dave.

President Obama to Throw First Pitch at Nats Home Opener

Photo by laura padgett

If you managed to score tickets to opening day at Nationals Park, you're in luck: President Barack Obama will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener on Monday, April 5.

The pitch, scheduled for 1:05 p.m., will mark the first time President Obama has accepted such an invitation from the Nationals. Obama declined to throw the first pitch last year, citing his busy schedule, and the team instead had members of all five branches of the U.S. military do the honors.

In addition to being Obama's first appearance at Nationals Park, the event will mark the 100th anniversary of the first time a U.S. President threw an opening day pitch, and the 48th time a President has done so in Washington. William Howard Taft started the tradition on April 14, 1910, in a game that pitted the Washington Senators against the Philadelphia Athletics. The Nationals will face the defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies on April 5, which will feature John Lannan facing off against Phillies superstar pitcher Roy Halladay.

Individual tickets are no longer available to the game, but the club plans to offer 400 seats in sections 401 and 402 for only $5 starting at 10 a.m. on game day at the Nationals Park main box office. Given the president's planned appearance, we expect those tickets to sell out in minutes.

There will be enhanced security at the game thanks to the secret service, so the Nationals are encouraging fans to arrive an hour to two hours earlier than normal. Gates will open at 10 a.m., and attendees should plan on waiting in line to pass through security.

(Via DCist.)