White House Hosts America's Baseball Champion; Jersey Number 46 Presented to Biden

Joe Biden, President of the United States, hosted members of the Houston Astros, the champions of Major League Baseball, at a special ceremony in the White House on Monday, August 7. During the event, he expressed appreciation for the team members and mentioned his closeness to Dusty Baker, the 73-year-old oldest manager to ever win the Major League Baseball championship. Biden, who became the oldest person to assume the presidency at 77, is now 80 and intends to run for a second consecutive term in the 2024 presidential election. The Houston Astros unexpectedly won the Major League Baseball championship last year under Baker's management, a competition known for its world championship title. Biden told the team members, 'People didn't count on you and said you were far from your peak days; this is something I am very familiar with.' Dusty Baker has been active in Major League Baseball for decades and has also won championships as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Biden stated that he followed Baker's games as a teenager and admired his playing style. Baker has been with the Houston Astros for three years, working to restore the team's credibility, which had been severely damaged due to mismanagement and poor decisions in trades. He mentioned that, like Biden, he thinks about a comeback and hopes to be a guest at the White House again after winning the Major League Baseball championship next year. The Astros members presented a team jersey with the number 46 to Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States. The Houston Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the finals, a team that Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States, supports. Biden has jokingly stated that he must cheer for the Phillies, or else he will sleep alone at night. He remarked that now that he has hosted the Astros, he can no longer enter Philadelphia. Typically, the support of U.S. Presidents for sports teams or hosting them at the White House is accompanied by entertainment and discussions that are not taken seriously. During the ceremony, Biden also expressed gratitude for the Astros' support of the survivors of the Uvalde school shooting in Texas. Last May, an armed individual entered the elementary school and killed 19 children and two adults. In the summer, the Houston Astros rented 10 buses to bring hundreds of children from the school to watch a game against the Oakland Athletics at their stadium. Biden noted that athletes give hope to people, adding, 'It may seem that sports are just about winning, but that is not true for the best teams.' The U.S. President stated that at their best, sports 'bring people together and help them be alongside each other.' The Houston Astros have also performed well in this year's competitions and are considered serious contenders for the championship title. This article is based on a report by the Associated Press.