President William McKinley Baseball Related Quotations

William McKinley had a chance at becoming the first in history to throw out the first pitch, but he failed to appear at the game in which the event was scheduled. Nonetheless, he is the first U.S. President to be invited to the honor and he did receive warm news in publications when he embraced baseball.

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"The President a lover of the National Game" - Sporting Life

President William McKinley

Quotations From & About William McKinley

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"McKinley On Ball — The President A Lover Of The National Game" - Sporting Life headline (1897)

"President McKinley disappointed the 7,000 spectators at the opening game by failing to appear, and the Senators disappointed them by losing to Brooklyn 5 to 4." - Star

"The president smiled and replied that he remembered the incident (throwing out first pitch as Governor of Ohio for Columbus) very well, indeed, and that if he saw his way clear he would repeat the performance at National Park Thursday." - newspaper article (1897)

Quotations From & About William McKinley
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When Governor William McKinley threw out the first pitch for Columbus they went on to win the Western League championship.

The manager of Columbus, Gus Schmelz, later became the Washington Senators manager and that is how the tradition "probably" started.

More than one-hundred members of the United States Congress appeared at that first Washington Senators game, but President William McKinley did not attend.