Trump pulls out of throwing first pitch at August Yankees game

WASHINGTON (UPI) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will no longer throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees‘ game against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 15.

Trump wrote on Twitter that he can’t make it to New York for the matchup because of his “strong focus” on the coronavirus pandemic and the economy. He promised to “make it later in the season.”

“Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy, and much else, I won’t be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th,” Trump wrote. “We will make it later in the season!”

During a White House coronavirus briefing Thursday, Trump said he accepted an invitation from Yankees President Randy Levine to throw out the first pitch. According to ESPN, the club later confirmed that Trump would perform the pre-game ceremony at some point in the 2020 season.

On Thursday, Trump noted that there wouldn’t be a crowd at Yankee Stadium, referring to the fact that MLB fans have been banned from attending games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump has yet to throw out the first pitch at an MLB game since taking office, a presidential tradition that dates back to William Howard Taft in 1910. Since then, every U.S. president has performed the honor at least once at a major league game.

After halting spring training in mid-March, MLB shortened its regular season from 162 games to 60 this year. The season began Thursday with a matchup between the Washington Nationals and Yankees, during which Dr. Anthony Fauci — the nation’s top infectious diseases expert — threw out the first pitch.

Reporting by Connor Grott

United Press International

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