Confused Rishi Sunak is cuddled by ‘Screech’, the bald eagle mascot, at a Washington baseball game – while the PM dons a snazzy team jacket (but don’t throw chickens on the first toss)
Rishi Sunak was cuddled by the bald eagle mascot at a baseball game in Washington last night – but dodged the first throw.
The PM posed awkwardly with Screech – the Washington Nationals’ lucky charm – as he watched the team take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
But despite wearing a smart baseball jacket and being an avid cricketer, Mr Sunak declined an invitation to pitch the first ball.
Instead, the honor went to British Army veteran Stuart Taylor, a former warrant officer and executive director of the Allied Forces Foundation, which supports injured soldiers and soldiers.
The PM’s presence didn’t seem to help the home team as they suffered a 6-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.
The PM posed awkwardly with Screech – the Washington Nationals’ lucky charm – as he watched the team take on the Arizona Diamondbacks
Despite wearing a smart baseball jacket and being an avid cricketer, Mr Sunak declined an invitation to pitch the first ball
Mr. Sunak attended Wednesday night’s game during his visit to Washington DC
Rishi Sunak at the Washington Nationals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game
The idea that Mr Sunak would throw the first pitch was raised with No 10 but the Prime Minister’s official spokesman denied saying he was bogged down.
“Things like this are presented to us from time to time, but at this event, the first pitch will be made by Stuart Taylor, CEO of the Allied Forces Foundation,” his pre-game spokesman said.
“I think that, in our opinion, was the most appropriate way to highlight the breadth and depth of the UK-US relationship, particularly with a focus on military personnel and veterans.”
Mr Sunak also insisted he was “never really meant to” throw the first pitch and told reporters he was “more focused on” who would replace Jack Leach in England’s Ashes cricket series against Australia.
The baseball game at Nationals Park featured a military flyby, performances by the Royal Marine Corps of Drums and the Washington Tattoo, and the singing of the US and British anthems.
Mr. Sunak, a sports fan who spent time in the United States to study at Stanford and work at a California hedge fund, met the players before the game and engaged in discussions with local business leaders, service personnel and veterans.
But he didn’t like Pitcher’s Mound.
Mr Sunak can be forgiven for retiring, perhaps to avoid the embarrassment some are suffering.
Barack Obama was booed by the crowd when he opened a game as President in 2009, and actor Bruce Willis suffered the same fate in 2019. Other famous faces who have pitched include Donald Trump, who did so in 2006 — well before his presidency — and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 2007.
But on Tuesday night, 83-year-old Nancy Pelosi showed Mr. Sunak how it can be done when she threw the opening ball at a Nationals game against the D-Backs.
The former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, wearing a Nationals jacket, received cheers as she threw the ball at Screech, the Nationals’ bald eagle mascot.
The honor of throwing the first toss went to British Army veteran Stuart Taylor, a former warrant officer and executive director of the Allied Forces Foundation, which supports injured soldiers and soldiers
Other famous faces who have pitched include Donald Trump, who did so back in 2006 — well before his presidency