Top 5 U.S. Presidents who have thrown ceremonial first pitch at MLB games ft. J.F. Kennedy, Barack Obama & more

Back in the day, baseball, spearheaded by the MLB, used to be the most-watched American sport. Its glory is alluded to by the fact that many former American presidents have graced the longstanding baseball ritual of the ceremonial first pitch and have thrown it 60 feet from the mound to home plate.

The first U.S. president to throw the first pitch was William Howard Taft (April 14, 1910), who threw to the Washington Senators' opening day pitcher, Walter Johnson. Let's take a look at the top five moments when U.S. presidents threw the first pitch.

#5. Ronald Reagan, 1988, Wrigley Field

The 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989, Ronald Reagan, decked out in the Cubs' jacket, threw a ceremonial first pitch (a strike) at Wrigley Field ahead of the game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

#4. George Bush, 2001 World Series, Yankee Stadium

Syndication: Arizona Republic (IMAGN)

The 43rd president of the United States, from 2001 to 2009, George W. Bush, threw the ceremonial first pitch during the 2001 World Series Game 3 at Yankee Stadium. The game was played between the eventual champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the home team, the New York Yankees.

#3. Jimmy Carter, 1995 World Series, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Ahead of Game 6 of the 1995 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Indians, the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981, Jimmy Carter, kicked off proceedings with the ceremonial first pitch.

#2. Barack Obama, 2009 MLB All-Star Game, Busch Stadium

MLB: All-Star Game (IMAGN)

The 2009 MLB All-Star Game festivities were marked by the ceremonial first pitch thrown by the first African-American president in U.S. history, Barack Obama. He wore a Chicago White Sox jacket and threw left-handed from the mound amid cheers from Busch Stadium.

#1. John F. Kennedy, 1963, DC Stadium

To mark the opening day of the 1963 season on April 8, John F. Kennedy delivered a strike for the ceremonial first pitch at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

Barack Obama was the last active president to throw a ceremonial pitch. In the last decade and so, under the Donald Trump and Joe Biden administrations, the tradition that was once passed down by POTUS has now disappeared.