Rishi Sunak Dons Baseball Jacket At Major League Game – But Ducks First Pitch

Prime minister tries the gear, but keeps his fastball in reserve, during trip to a Washington Nationals ballgame.
Rishi Sunak tosses a baseball while attending a Washington Nationals baseball game during his visit to Washington DC.
Rishi Sunak tosses a baseball while attending a Washington Nationals baseball game during his visit to Washington DC.
KEVIN LAMARQUE via Reuters

Rishi Sunak dressed the part during his trip to a Major League Baseball game in the US – but it seems we’ll never quite know if it’s style over substance.

The UK prime minister was guest of honour as the Washington Nationals took on the Arizona Diamondbacks during his trip to the US to cement “the special relationship”.

Fans were treated to a military flypast and both God Save the King and the Star Spangled Banner played by Royal Marines and US military bands as the game celebrated US-UK ties.

Speculation had been mounting in recent days over whether the PM would hurl down the ceremonial first pitch – a rite of passage that even Barack Obama appeared to fail, in large part thanks to “mom jeans”.

Keen cricketer Sunak, donning a Washington Nationals jacket, mingled with players before the game and was cheered onto the pitch – although Nationals Park was far from full.

In the event, that first pitch at the UK-US Friendship Day was thrown by British army veteran Stuart Taylor after Downing Street rejected the idea of Sunak throwing the ball in front of thousands of spectators.

Rishi Sunak speaks with Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez and umpires prior to the Washington Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
Rishi Sunak speaks with Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez and umpires prior to the Washington Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
KEVIN LAMARQUE via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak waves while arriving to the Washington Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
Rishi Sunak waves while arriving to the Washington Nationals baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images

“These sorts of things are pitched to us from time to time but, at this event, the first pitch is going to be thrown by Stuart Taylor, who is the CEO of the Allied Forces Foundation,” the prime minister’s spokesman said.

“That, I think we felt, was the most appropriate way of highlighting the breadth and depth of the UK-US relationship, particularly focusing on service personnel and veterans.”

After the pitch, Sunak asked Taylor: “How was that, quite good right?”

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