The Washington Nationals announced Monday that Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day.
What We Know:
- The reigning World Series champions will play the New York Yankees at home on July 23 to kick off the regular season, which has been shortened from 162 to 60 games in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Fauci has been one of the country’s most visible public health experts throughout the coronavirus pandemic and weighed in regularly on the return of sports amid the pandemic. Fauci has also been vocal about his love of the Nationals. He wore a face mask with the team’s name and logo to testify alongside other members of the White House coronavirus task force at a congressional hearing last month.
Dr. Anthony Fauci wears a Washington Nationals face mask as he and other members of the White House coronavirus task force arrive to testify before a House committee. https://t.co/T4P7GkPkTF pic.twitter.com/OiHAEHVOFt
— ABC News (@ABC) June 23, 2020
- “Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the Covid-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career, so it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title,” the team said in a statement.
A statement from the Washington Nationals regarding Opening Day. pic.twitter.com/iejxXeAA4V
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2020
- In April, with Major League Baseball still on hiatus, Fauci spoke of wanting to see the team back in action, even if it meant games resuming without in-person spectators. “I think you’ll probably get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see a baseball game, particularly me,” Fauci said. “I’m living in Washington, we have the world champion Washington Nationals. I want to see them play again.”
- His scheduled appearance on Thursday appears to be a tacit endorsement of the resumption of the MLB season. Fauci’s ceremonial pitch will continue the celebration of the franchise’s first-ever World Series victory, clinched last fall against the Houston Astros.
- Many baseball fans were quick to point out that’s Fauci’s invitation to celebrate Washington’s first World Series victory comes instead of President Donald Trump as presidents have regularly been invited to throw out the first pitch on MLB’s opening day. This takes place amid an ongoing dispute in Washington, D.C., as Trump attempts to undercut Fauci’s COVID-19 advice. The Nationals did invite Trump to throw out the opening day pitch in 2017, but he declined, citing scheduling conflicts. Nationals fans roundly booed Trump when he made an appearance during Game 5 of the World Series last year, welcoming him with chants of “Lock Him Up”. They booed him again when a Trump campaign ad ran during the broadcast of Game 7.
Thursday’s opening game will start MLB’s 60-game season. The Nationals will be playing the Yankees, the New York native’s favorite team growing up.
