Former President George W. Bush Celebrates Texas Rangers’ World Series Win
Former President George W. Bush, an avid baseball fan, celebrated the Texas Rangers’ first-ever World Series title this week. Bush, who once owned the team, kicked off the series by throwing out the first pitch and cheered from home as the Rangers won Game 5.
Tom Bernstein, a longtime friend and former partner in the Rangers ownership, said that baseball has always been a significant part of Bush’s life. “It just speaks to him. It sounds corny, but the rhythm of the whole thing. He’s a student of the game. It’s part of who he is,” Bernstein said.
Bush, who generally stays out of the public eye, made a statement congratulating the team on their victory. “I congratulate the owners, the managers and coaching staff, the front office, and the entire organization. And, of course, I congratulate the players of this awesome team on winning the first World Series in our club’s history. This was baseball at its finest, and Laura and I are proud of this team,” he said.
Baseball has always been a sport closely associated with the presidency, and the Bush family has a deep connection to the game. Bush’s father, President George H.W. Bush, was a star first baseman in his youth. Baseball “acted as a bonding agent” between the two Bushes, according to author Mark K. Updegrove.
For George W. Bush, owning the Rangers was a significant milestone in his career. It allowed him to step out of his father’s shadow and build a successful business and political reputation. The ownership success “solved my biggest political problem in Texas,” Bush once observed.
During his ownership, Bush orchestrated a referendum for a temporary tax increase to build a new stadium and saw the team’s fortunes improve. The Rangers went from being perennial losers to winners, and the success laid the foundation for Bush’s campaign for governor in 1994.
One of Bush’s most famous baseball moments came after the September 11 attacks when he threw the first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series in New York. The pitch, thrown from the mound, was roundly cheered and demonstrated the country’s resolve.
Now, years later, Bush continues to be involved with the Rangers. He recently threw out the first pitch at the team’s opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks and reunited with former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who had taunted him during his famous pitch in 2001.
Despite recovering from back surgery, Bush was in high spirits as he threw a one-bouncer pitch. The crowd cheered, and Bush walked off the field with a huge grin on his face.
It has been an exciting few weeks for Bush, who continues to recover from his surgery. He is looking forward to riding mountain bikes with wounded warriors at his ranch on Veterans Day weekend.
For Bush, baseball will always hold a special place in his heart, and the Texas Rangers’ World Series win is a testament to his enduring love for the game.
Former President George W. Bush Celebrates Texas Rangers’ World Series Win
Baseball Remains a Passion for the Former First Fan
Ownership of the Texas Rangers helped propel George W. Bush’s political career, and decades later, a friend says, baseball remains “part of who he is.”
Mr. Bush kicked off the World Series last week by throwing out the first pitch and cheered from home in Dallas on Wednesday when his old team won Game 5 in Phoenix. For the onetime Rangers managing partner, it was an electrifying finale to a championship that eluded him when he was signing the checks.
“I think he’s loving it,” said Tom Bernstein, a longtime friend and fellow partner in the Rangers ownership back in the day. Mr. Bush, he said, has always been captivated by baseball. “It just speaks to him. It sounds corny but the rhythm of the whole thing. He’s a student of the game. He’s immersed in it. He always was. Why baseball? It’s a crazy game. But it resonates with him. It’s part of who he is.”
The former president, who generally stays out of the statement-issuing business these days, made an exception, declaring himself “thrilled” by the victory. “I congratulate the owners, the managers and coaching staff, the front office and the entire organization,” he said. “And, of course,