The Washington Nationals is announcing that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will throw out the first pitch on opening day, July 23.
In a statement, the team said, “The Washington Nationals are thrilled to announce that Nats super-fan, Anthony Fauci, the Director fo the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has accepted our invitation to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day, Thursday, July 23.”
“Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the Covid-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career, so it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title,” the statement added.
Read the statement below:
A statement from the Washington Nationals regarding Opening Day. pic.twitter.com/iejxXeAA4V
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2020
Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, was seen sporting a Washington Nationals face mask during a Congressional hearing on the coronavirus outbreak.
"I'm an avid Washington Nationals fan so I thought I would break up this a little bit by putting on my Washington Nationals face mask," Fauci says during a congressional hearing when asked about why he switched out his face mask to a new one. pic.twitter.com/QwTTvOoSX5
— Clare Foran (@ckmarie) June 23, 2020
While he has stated how much he enjoys baseball, he has previously said that he believes the season should wrap up before the fall due to concerns about the coronavirus.
“If the question is time, I would try to keep it in the core summer months and end it not with the way we play the World Series, until the end of October when it’s cold,” he said in an April interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Additionally, Fauci has said that sports can resume but recommended that the teams play without fans in the stadiums.