Former President George W. Bush throws 1st pitch for D-backs World Series (again)

Former President George W. Bush, the former owner of the Texas Rangers, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Texas played the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series opener on Friday night.

Bush threw a strike right down the middle from the rubber prior to Game 3 of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium between New York and Arizona but went in front of the mound on Friday and tossed it in the dirt.

Former President George W. Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch at Game 1 of the #WorldSeries

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/mNgGNsw7dv

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 27, 2023

This was Bush’s fourth World Series ceremonial first pitch but his first before an opener.

Bush, 77, headed the group that bought the Rangers from Eddie Chiles in 1989 and was general partner through November 1994, when he stepped down as he prepared to become Texas governor.

Bush was U.S. president from 2001-09. For his first pitch in 2001, with heavy security following the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Bush wore a bulletproof vest.

More than a first pitch. pic.twitter.com/NNYqE9YjAJ

— MLB (@MLB) September 11, 2018

As Bush warmed up beneath the stands of old Yankee Stadium, the Yankees’ Derek Jeter told him “Don’t bounce it, they will boo you,” Bush later recalled.

Before the first pitch tonight, @derekjeter talks with George W. Bush 🇺🇸

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/q2z7pc2jfp

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 27, 2023

Bush threw out ceremonial first pitches with his father, former President George H.W. Bush, before Game 4 of the 2010 World Series in Texas and before Game 5 of the 2017 World Series in Houston.

George W. Bush’s group sold the Rangers in 1998 to Thomas Hicks, who sold the team in 2010 to the current ownership group headed by Ray Davis.

Rangers Hall of Fame catcher Iván Rodríguez was behind the plate for Bush’s pitch.

Former Rangers star Adrián Beltré will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 to Rangers Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

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