Washington Nationals add Herbert Hoover to racing presidents
It took Teddy Roosevelt 539 races to win for the first time during the Washington Nationals’ popular fourth-inning racing presidents sideshow.
Herbert Hoover made his debut in the race on Sunday during the Nationals’ 4-2 win over the Marlins and won easily over his five competitors.
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Hoover was the 31st president from 1929 to 1933. The country fell into the Great Depression a few months into his presidency. That fact and others had some questioning Washington’s decision to add him to the roster of racing presidents this season as a visiting racer.
There are five regulars in the racing presidents race: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft and Roosevelt. Calvin Coolidge was a visiting racer last season. The race is a collaboration between the Nationals and the White House Historical Association.
Hoover made his third appearance on Meet the Press on Sunday morning in advance of his debut race and is still getting tough questions about the Great Depression.
[Bartolo Colon delighted fans with over-the-shoulder catch]
While Hoover certainly isn’t remembered as one of America’s great leaders, his selection for the racing presidents fits from a baeball perspective. Hoover was a baseball fan and played the game to the college level. He was a shortstop for Stanford until he suffered a hand injury.
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Kyle Ringo is a contributing writer to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
