Barack Obama made baseball history on Thursday.
Using the Baseball Hall of Fame as a backdrop, Obama gave a speech on the economic benefits of tourism and, in the process, became the first sitting president to visit Cooperstown in the 75 –year history of the museum. All in all, he’s just the fourth president to visit the Hall of Fame, following both Bushes and Bill Clinton.
“I love baseball; America loves baseball. It continues to be our national pastime. And for any baseball fan out there, you’ve got to make a trip here,” Obama said during his visit. “The timing could not be better. First off, summer marks the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Fame. I also promised Frank Thomas I’d check the place out before he’s inducted in July.”
Not only did he tour the Hall of Fame…he actually donated the Chicago White Sox jacket he wore during the 2009 All-Star Game.
“I hear that with all the media attention about it, there was also some interest in the jeans I wore that night,” the president added. “But Michelle retired those jeans quite a while back.”
Not only did @BarackObama donate his white sox jacket but he signed our @BaseballHall guest book too. @whitesox pic.twitter.com/NtNgm6hMjW
— Jeff Idelson (@HallofFamePrez) May 23, 2014
Some of the items Obama got to see up close and personal…the ball President Taft threw out on Opening Day 1910, a glove used by Joe DiMaggio, one of Jackie Robinson’s jerseys and a number of historical White Sox items.
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