GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, connected with the West-Michigan community a number of times throughout his political life.
24 Hour News 8 staff searched the archives Saturday morning and found several instances when the former president visited Michigan.
George H.W. Bush’s first known visit to the area was in Kalamazoo all the way back in 1947. Bush played baseball at Yale in what was the first two of what would become the College World Series tournaments that were played at WMU.
Yale was in the 1947 World Series, the first year a National Championship was played. Yale lost to California in a bear of 3 series at Hyames Field. That same stadium is still in use today.
Bush played 1B and went 0-7 in the championship series
Later in 1997 President Bush was at the rededication of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in downtown Grand Rapids. He was there alongside former Presidents Ford and Carter for a ribbon cutting marking 16 years after the museum's initial dedication following a 5 million dollar renovation.
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