One Year Ago Today

FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., site of an historic inauguration -

Brings to mind connections between our national pastime and politics.

Many of you know that Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a dominant pitcher for most of his 17 years in the majors, mostly for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies. Finshed his career 224-184 with a 3.27 ERA. He is one of the few to throw no-hitters in both leagues.

Former New York Governor and presidential candidate Mario Cuomo had a promising baseball career cut short by a fastball. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1951 and assigned to their Brunswick minor league team. Later that first season he was hit in the head by a fastball. It was so serious doctors advised he give up baseball, which he did, and went on to finish law school.

The Chicago Cubs' dominance of baseball attention in the Windy City may be no more. Not only is Mayor Richard Daley a life long White Sox fan, as was his father, tomorrow the White House will be inhabited by a Sox fan. And President-elect Barack Obama did not give the politically correct response to which team he favors when asked about it during the campaign. This is what he told ESPN last August when asked who he'd root for in a Sox-Cubs World Series, "Oh, that's easy. White Sox. I'm not one of these fair-weather fans. You go to Wrigley Field, you have a beer; beautiful people up there. People aren't watching the game. It's not serious. White Sox, that's baseball. South Side."

Outgoing President George W. Bush was principal owner of the Texas Rangers. His father, former President George H. W. Bush played baseball for Yale.

Contributing sources:

ESPN

Mario Cuomo in the Minors