Elizabeth Dole grew up in basketball-crazy North Carolina, but baseball was front and center on July 4 for the former North Carolina senator and director of the Red Cross.
Dole, 81, was at Nationals Park on Wednesday morning as the Nationals hosted the Boston Red Sox in their annual Independence Day game.
She was on the field before the game with Maryland resident Megan Smith, who threw the ceremonial first pitch to Matt Wieters of the Nationals. Smith is the caregiver for her husband, a post 9-11 U.S. Army veteran who was injured in 2013.
Dole and Smith have been raising awareness for Hidden Heroes, which is a major campaign of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
“We celebrate all of the veterans and their caregivers for what they did for this country,” Dole told The Washington Times after the ceremonial first pitch. “My foundation is focused on raising awareness for the five-and-a-half million caregivers.”
According to her website, Hidden Heroes “brings vital attention to the untold stories of the military caregivers and seeks solutions for the tremendous challenges and long-term needs they face.”
Wieters, a catcher, is currently on the disabled list but was in uniform as he hopes to join the active roster this month.
Dole said she has been to Nationals games before but Wednesday was the first time she was on the field for a pre-game ceremony. She has been on the field at Fenway Park in Boston.
“I love baseball and basketball,” said Dole, who was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. She is the wife of former Senator Bob Dole (R) of Kansas.
There was plenty of red, white and blue on display at Nationals Park.
The Independence Day celebrations prior to the Nationals game included recognition of the USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore.
The color guard before the game was the United States Marine Corps of the Marine Barracks at nearby 8th and I streets in southeast D.C.
The national anthem was performed by the cast of “Hamilton,” the box office sensation. The cast was also slated to sing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch.
The game ball delivery was performed by CW02 Castro Pagan of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Nationals entered Wednesday with a record of 4-2 in July 4 games at 11:05 p.m. in a tradition that began in 2012. But the two-time defending National League East champs began the day with a record of 42-42 this season and were seven games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves.
For more information go to elizabethdolefoundation.com
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