Orioles VP John Angelos Says He Doesn't Want Trump Throwing First Pitch
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Executive Vice President of the Orioles John Angelos said on the B-more Opinionated Podcast this week that President Donald Trump would need to apologize for some of the statements he's made before he'd be OK with him throwing out the first pitch at a game.
While many are celebrating the president, there are still many critics including Orioles Executive Vice President John Angelos, who expressed disappointment in the commander in chief.
This all started when Angelos was asked whether there were plans to have Mr. Trump throw out a first pitch at Camden Yards.
For the last 100 years, presidents have been invited to throw out first pitches on major league baseball Opening Days. Angelos says before that happens, there needs to be an apology first. He voiced his disappointment in the president's conduct and the way he's spoken about immigrants and women
His comments stole the show:
"I know the administration has taken on some criticism for it's controversial positions concerning things that are considered to be problematic from a race, ethnicity, religious, gender, disability community...people in those communities have been spoken about very negatively by a candidate, now the President.
John Angelos never refers to the president by name:
My personal opinion, I think it's incumbent upon any individual who leads a country to step away from those type of statements, to apologize for those statements and turn the page and then to move forward in embracing their community. Until that happens, it wouldn't be my preference to have the President come throw a pitch."
Angelos also said:
"Everybody wants to see whoever is in the office the President do extremely well. The first step to doing extremely well, is for this person who is in the office, to retract all these outrageous things that have been said and simply apologize. You don't say those things about women, you don't say those things about different ethnic groups... and if you do say them, you need to be big enough to apologize."
Since there wasn't a baseball team based in D.C. for many years, there were a few instances in which presidents threw out the first pitch in Baltimore, George H. W. Bush in 1992 and Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1996.
Whether President Trump throws out the first pitch here at Camden Yards in April remains to be seen, but it's something other presidents have been a part of over the years.
Mr. Trump isn't a stranger to sporting events in Baltimore, he was even in the both for the Army-Navy game in December.
Whether you approve of the president or not, some say the president should throw one over the plate.
"Everyone else has done it, why shouldn't he be able to do it?" says Dave Fox from Germantown.
Angelos added that he doesn't support the Republican or Democratic Party, and just wants whoever is in office to succeed.
Angelos comments come the same week that Ivanka Trump was in Baltimore, speaking with minority business owners.
The Orioles will celebrate their 25th Anniversary season of Oriole Park at Camden Yards this year.
Angelos is optimistic there will be an increase in fan attendance this season in part because of a stronger franchise and the celebratory season.
The Orioles will open the 2017 season in just a little over a month at Oriole Park against the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a five-game home stand beginning with Opening Day on Monday, April 3.
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