updated 3:36 p.m. ET April 15, 2005

WASHINGTON - With a hasty windup followed by a pitch that sailed above a generous strike zone, President Bush opened the Washington Nationals’ inaugural home game Thursday night and ended the city’s baseball drought of more than three decades.

Bush emerged from the dugout in a red Nationals jacket to mostly cheers, some boos and lots of camera flashes. Waving to the crowd, he walked straight to the mound and promptly threw a high pitch toward home plate. Nationals catcher Brian Schneider reached up and snatched the ball cleanly, sparking more cheers.

Joe Grzenda, the last pitcher in the Washington Senators’ final home game in 1971, provided the ball he had used in that final game.

The president walked back across the diamond to another round of cheers from fans packed into 46,000-seat RFK Stadium. He waved and smiled before disappearing into the dugout.

Bush watched the game from a box behind home plate with baseball commissioner Bud Selig, first lady Laura Bush, daughter Jenna and others. He left the ballpark after watching five innings of the National's 5-3 win.

Under a blue sky and mild temperatures, Bush executed the ceremonial first toss with the skill of a guy who knows baseball. He was a part-owner of the Texas Rangers before running for governor of Texas.

According to White House spokesman Scott McClellan, Bush practiced his windup before traveling to Rome last week and most recently on Wednesday. He and Schneider had a private warm-up session at the stadium on Thursday.

Earlier Thursday, Bush told a newspaper editors meeting in Washington: “I’ve got a decision to make today. Do I go with a fastball or a slider?”

Bush’s pitch came 95 years to the day that President William Howard Taft did the same at a game between the Senators and Athletics, the beginning of a tradition.

The Senators left for Texas in 1972, but baseball returned to the nation’s capital with the home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Tony Gutierrez / AP

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