First Pitch Poem by Ima Ryma

Baseball season opening day
For the major leagues - the first pitch
Took on Presidential display
When President Taft got the itch.
On April 14th, nineteen ten,
The game in Washington, D.C.
Taft stood up in the grandstand, then
As the game starting bell rang, he
Threw the ball out into the field.
The ball was caught but unknown why,
As news accounts later revealed,
The ball was thrown to the wrong guy.

But what the heck, the deed was done -
A Presidential tradition.