Herbert “Herbie” Hoover wins the Presidents race in the 20’s yet again

Some may think presidents from Washington D.C. only run every four years, but that could be further from the truth. The presidents actually run at the end of every fourth inning.

Origins of the race

The on-field race began in 2006 in Washington D.C. The original participants were George Washington, Thomas “Tom” Jefferson, Abraham “Abe” Lincoln and Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.

In 2013, a new president was added to the mix. William “Bill” Howard Taft was the first of three new presidents that would be added into the lineup. Next, it was Calvin “Cal” Coolidge, who joined the presidents in 2015. A year later, Herbert “Herbie” Hoover was added into the rotation.

Retiring Presidents

The three newcomers were retired at the end of the 2016 season. The trio of Taft, Coolidge and Hoover was sent to West Palm Beach to retire, something with which most people in the area can relate. The retired presidents traded in their suits from Washington D.C. for Hawaiian style shirts in West Palm Beach. A much more relaxed look.

The FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches opened in 2017, and the three presidents have been the main attraction since. The presidents are beloved by the fans, getting cheers from everyone as they pass through the concourse to get ready for their race. As the fourth inning ends, all the Nationals fans know what time it is, and are excited to see who wins the race.

We had a thrilling Presidents Race between innings here in West Palm Beach. #grapefruitgators pic.twitter.com/iLMquIeirY

— Chase Anschultz (@ChaseAnschultz) March 2, 2020

As you can see, our 31st president Herbert “Herbie” Hoover looked more like “Herbie: Fully Loaded” out there, getting an easy victory. Great job also by Calvin “Cal” Coolidge, who kept his cool after falling behind early. He fought back to take second. William “Bill” Howard Taft thought if there was a Will there would be a way, but unfortunately, he ran out of gas in the end.

Overall, it was a great race, and the Nationals also beat the Marlins on a walk-off hit 3-2.