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President George W. Bush to Throw Out First Pitch at 2011 NCAA Men's College World Series

For Immediate Release

Thursday, June 14, 2011

Contact(s)

Cameron Schuh
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS---President George W. Bush will throw out the first pitch for Game 1 of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series on Saturday, June 18.

“President Bush was the first sitting president to attend the College World Series in 2001, and it is our privilege to have the former president return and open the Series by throwing out the first pitch,” said Dennis Poppe, NCAA vice president for Division I football and baseball. “In addition, he will represent his father, George H.W. Bush, who played in the first-ever College World Series in 1947.”

In 2001, President Bush threw out the first pitch of the game at Rosenblatt Stadium between Tulane University and Stanford University. A lifelong baseball fan and former managing partner of the Texas Rangers, President Bush is the eldest son of former President George H.W. Bush (1989 to 1993), who played as first baseman on the Yale baseball team in both the 1947 and 1948 College World Series.

“It’s great to have the former president back in Omaha for the inaugural game of the College World Series in the new TD Ameritrade Park Omaha,” said Jack Diesing, Jr., president of College World Series of Omaha, Inc., (CWS, Inc.). “Ten years ago, he attended the College World Series and we’re honored to have him back to experience the new home of the Series.”

Tanner Lubach, a senior at Lincoln Southwest High School and named as the catcher for the 2011 Nebraska High School All-State team, will catch the first pitch. President Bush will also be greeted on the field by the Memorial Park/Hillside Little League Bluejays, a local youth baseball team in Omaha.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA Championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.NCAA.org and www.NCAA.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

 

About CWS, Inc.®

College World Series of Omaha, Inc., is the non-profit local organizing committee for the annual NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series. Its mission is enlisting wide-based community support from business, government, civic organizations and individuals to implement, promote, operate and host a successful CWS in Omaha in partnership with the NCAA. Beginning in 2011, the Series will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha starting on Saturday, June 18, with the first game of the Series Finals beginning on Monday, June 27. The Series Finals will conclude on Tuesday, June 28, or Wednesday, June 29.