First lady, MLB team up vs. obesity

Associated Press

BALTIMORE

First lady Michelle Obama showed off her throwing arm Tuesday after making a pitch to Major League Baseball to help her fight childhood obesity.

She announced that MLB and the MLB Players Association will team with the White House in the Let’s Move campaign, which promotes exercise and healthy eating for America’s youth.

“To the entire MLB Players Association and all 30 players who agreed to be part of the public service advertising campaigns, it just means so much to these kids to see you guys joining in this,” Obama said at Oriole Park at Camden yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. “Your voice means so much more to them than anything we could say.”

After the formalities, dressed casually in a print top, white pants and sneakers, Obama joined members of the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays in a clinic for kids from local baseball teams. Obama participated in all three stations for about a half-hour, playing catch, throwing grounders and shouting encouragement to the children.

Obama showed she knows her way around a baseball field.

Before the session, she threw a few pitches in the bullpen to Tampa Bay ace David Price and was clearly pleased with her performance.

Hours later, wearing an Orioles jersey with the No. 44, Obama passed up the opportunity to put her fastball on display. Instead, she stood between two youths who shared the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Baltimore’s game against the Rays.

The Let’s Move campaign, according to Obama, is designed to end childhood obesity “so that kids grow up healthier to pursue their dreams.”