What a fag. He even wore a bulletproof vest because he's too much of wussy to face up to terrorists, like the rest of us have to every day because of him.

-- (what@gutless.coward), October 30, 2001

Answers

He DOES look dorky, doesn't he? hahahahaha

-- ha (ha@ha.com), October 30, 2001.

If there was a sniper at the game that vest wouldn't stop them, they could shoot him in his dumb fucking head. Yeah, that would be even better.

-- (kill@the.asshole), October 31, 2001.

Flag-waving fans cheer Bush at Series

By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune national correspondent Lisa Anderson and Tribune news services contributed to this report Published October 31, 2001

NEW YORK -- Amid intense security and equally intense emotion, President Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch to open Game 3 of the World Series on Tuesday after team members and fans stood for a moment of silence to remember the victims of last month's terrorist attacks.

Bush, wearing a blue New York Fire Department jacket, received a prolonged ovation as he quick-stepped to the pitcher's mound and gave a thumbs-up sign before throwing a near-perfect pitch across the plate. Despite the announcement of a "credible" terrorist threat by the Department of Justice a day earlier, Bush lingered on the mound and then stood for a time on the first base line with New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly.

Bush became the first president to throw out the first pitch at a World Series game since Dwight Eisenhower in Game 1 of the 1956 World Series at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Bush entered the field after shaking hands with a few players in the Yankees dugout. He strode to the mound to a rousing ovation from the flag-waving crowd.

After he pitched to backup catcher Todd Greene, Brenly greeted him with a handshake, telling him: "Very nice throw. Good stuff, Mr. President."

Security was tight as ticket-holders were subjected to the kind of measures normally reserved for boarding an airplane. Fans had to walk through metal detectors and raise their arms for hand-operated wands. Purses and small bags were checked by hand. Larger pieces were not allowed.

The fans didn't seem to mind, at least the ones who arrived early. The gates opened at about 5 p.m., an hour earlier than normal for an 8:30 p.m. start to the sold-out game.

"This is not an inconvenience at all," said George Giaquinto, who lives in East Rutherford, N.J. "It only took a couple of minutes. And now this is probably the safest place in the world."

With Bush surrounded by a crowd of more than 57,000 people, the city assigned 1,200 uniformed police officers and an unspecified number of undercover officers to the game. The police also planned to use bomb- sniffing dogs and to monitor extra security cameras.

On orders from the Secret Service detail, Yankee Stadium elevators were closed to the public from 7:15 p.m. until the middle of the 8th inning. Chains prevented those without proper tickets from entering the lower section of seats.

Outside the ballpark, the Federal Aviation Administration restricted overhead flights to those for the military or emergency services.

Jerry Laveroni, the Yankees' director of security, said the team took "very, very significant" precautions in a bid to ensure that the game would be played without disturbance.

"Anything can happen if somebody wants to make something happen," Laveroni said. "But I feel very comfortable with the deployment of all the key elements. With the NYPD and Secret Service being here, I think we're in good hands."

Following the moment of silence to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, Mark Van Essen, son of New York's fire commissioner, sang the national anthem.

A bald eagle then flew across center field into the grip of a handler.

As the president left the field, cameras showed a banner unfurled in the stands that read: "USA Fears Nobody. Play Ball."

After landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Bush flew in a helicopter to Yankee Stadium, skirting the edge of Manhattan and flying close to the Empire State Building, now the tallest building in the city and illuminated in red, white and blue. The helicopter landed on a baseball field adjacent to the stadium.

As he left the White House with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and other aides, Bush sidestepped a question about his favorite team, saying only: "I'd like to see the series go seven games."

Later, before boarding Air Force One for the trip, he playfully threw mock warm-up pitches to reporters and photographers, bending over as if studying a catcher's signals.

The government announced that only pilots who filed flight plans with the FAA could fly private planes within 34 miles of Kennedy Airport on the nights of Series games in the city.

That came in the wake of Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft's warning of possible terrorist attacks in the next week.

The restrictions are in effect from 6:45 p.m. to 2 a.m. EST during all World Series games played at Yankee Stadium.

Bans remain in effect on all private planes within 20 miles of Kennedy Airport. Also, private pilots flying in the New York area, as well as in Boston and Washington must file flight plans with the FAA.

Copyright © 2001, Chicago Tribune

-- (not@s.much.hate.as.here), October 31, 2001.

Throws like a sissy?? Huh?? What game were you watching Einstien??

Poor kid obviously doesn't know a damned thing about baseball.

Nice screwgie over the inside corner. Of course he had a vest on (and still threw a strike!). You would have sent him out there without one?? That would have been brilliant......

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 31, 2001.

I agree with Deano. I was actually quite impressed. He was a pitcher at Yale, I have heard. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone throw a first pitch from the actual mound too. Notice in the picture they put a temporary pitcher's rubber out there, but he used the real one.

Played baseball much?

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), October 31, 2001.

Who cares about the pitch? Did he adjust his "cup", and spit? Did anyone pat his butt after the pitch? I don't think it can be REAL baseball without those things [or are these the only things *I* notice in the game?]

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), October 31, 2001.

I have to agree. A firm 'butt-slap' would have been appropriate. Probably should have hocked-up a nice loogy(sp?) too.......just for effect.

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), October 31, 2001.

"What a fag. He even wore a bulletproof vest because he's too much of wussy to face up to terrorists, like the rest of us have to every day because of him"

Whose stopping you from wearing a bullet proof vest wherever you go?

-- (S&W@bullet...proof.com), October 31, 2001.

I believe he threw a strike.

-- (Roland@hatemail.com), October 31, 2001.

October 31, 2001 New York Times

President Warms Up, Then Throws a Strike

By BUSTER OLNEY

President Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 last night, the first president to do so at a World Series at Yankee Stadium in 45 years.

Bush, wearing a New York Fire Department windbreaker, walked to the mound, and fans burst out with applause. After giving a thumbs up to fans at the top of the mound, Bush threw the ball on a line to the Yankees' backup catcher, Todd Greene.

Bush had asked for a chance to go to the batting cages before the game and warm up a little bit, a member of the stadium security staff said.

As Bush left the field, he stopped at the box seats nearest the left corner of the Yankees' dugout and shook hands with Senator John McCain of Arizona, who was wearing a blue Diamondbacks hat, and Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who wore a Yankees cap, as usual.

Two presidential helicopters landed in McCombs Dam Park, adjacent to Yankee Stadium, about 7:25 p.m., raising dust that drifted over the banks of lights on the third-base side. Another smaller helicopter arrived about five minutes later.

Bush is the first president since Ronald Reagan to attend a World Series game; Reagan went to Game 2 of the 1983 Series at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. Bush is the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to throw out a first pitch, as Eisenhower did before Game 1 of the 1956 Series between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. That was also the last time a sitting president attended a World Series game in New York.

Eight presidents have attended World Series games, including Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover three times apiece.

Tightening the Security

With President Bush on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, the security was intense at Yankee Stadium. Most fans had to pass two metal-detector tests, walking through one detector at the stadium entrances before being scanned by a hand-held device. At the bleacher entrances, only the hand-held devices appeared to be in use, but fans were also being patted down by hand.

As a result of all the scrutiny, it took a lot longer to get into the stadium. Many fans appeared to be waiting 30 minutes or more to get through the entrances, and the lines grew long. At the end of the first inning, thousands of fans were still outside waiting to get in, and the mood had turned more surly.

Most fans seemed to take the delay in stride, appreciative of the security concerns gripping the country. Sitting outside Gate 6 before the game, Steven and Cathy Britt, of Wall Township, N.J., who have been coming to Yankees World Series games for years, voiced the contradictory feelings so many fans were confronting. "I wasn't going to come," said Cathy Britt, confessing to nervousness about security. "But my husband said, `You've got to come, or else they win.' "

-- (Marv Alpert@butt-biting.contest), October 31, 2001.

Our President might throw like a pussy but he doesnt eat pussy like your momma does.

-- (who@is.gutless), October 31, 2001.

At least my momma doesn't eat big black dick like yours does.

-- (yomama@whitetrash.ho), October 31, 2001.