A little over a month after the United States fell under attack on September 11, 2001, President George W Bush united the nation with a ceremonial first pitch at the MLB World Series.
On October 30, 2001, Bush delivered the ceremonial first pitch just before Game Three of the series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The series was postponed due to the 9/11 terror attacks and Game Three was held in Yankee Stadium.
Wearing a bulletproof vest under his jacket, Bush walked up to the mound and waved to the packed stadium crowd. When he reached the mound, he gave a thumbs up to the crowd.
Amazingly, Bush threw a perfect strike across the plate, causing the already loud crowd to become even more raucous.
WATCH:
“I knew the symbolism and what it would mean for Americans when we felt so vulnerable and we were still afraid,” Former First Lady Laura Bush of the first pitch.