white house visits by sports teams

How Did Athletes Visiting the President at the White House Become a Tradition?

By Sean Stephens

Sean Stephens

First Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots said they wouldn’t make the customary visit to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump after the team won the Super Bowl. Then Dont’a Hightower, the team’s all-pro linebacker said he’d already visited the White House after the Pats won a Vince Lombardi Trophy a few years back: “ Been there, done that .” After that, defensive end Chris Long, son of Hall of Famers Howie Long, added his name to the list of players that won’t be able to make it . 

Of course, the internet having the long memory it does, people were quick to remind fans that were angry about the players snubbing the invite in 2017 were doing exactly what Tom Brady did when Barack Obama was in office just a few years earlier, except at least they were being up front about it. Brady said he couldn’t make it because of a “family commitment.” 

Remember.. Tom Brady didn’t go to the White House after the superbowl win when Obama was in charge. He went to the Apple Store #staywoke pic.twitter.com/NFV3TeDhyF — Shaolin Fantastic (@Roc_B_Wylin) February 6, 2017

Players have used not visiting the president as a form of protest before. Most recently, Jake Arrieta skipped a visit the White House recently with the Chicago Cubs in the last days of the Barack Obama presidency, and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins also didn’t show up to the White House. Thomas, who identified as a member of the Tea Party, issued a statement saying , “I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People,” but said, “This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.”

But how, exactly, did the tradition of athletes showing up actually start? 

According to Thomas Nuemann of ESPN , it dates back to at least Aug. 30, 1865, when President Andrew Johnson welcomed the Brooklyn Atlantics and Washington Nationals amateur baseball clubs. Ulysses S. Grant played host to the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, in 1869. The first World Series championship team to show up at the White House is believed to be the 1924 Washington Senators, invited by Calvin Coolidge. John F. Kennedy, possibly the Boston area’s most famous citizen, invited Red Auerbach and the Celtics to the White House in 1963 when the team was in the middle of the most dominant decade possibly in all of American sports.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first Super Bowl champion to visit, joining the World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates in a dual ceremony with Jimmy Carter in February of 1980. Over a decade later, another Pittsburgh team, the Penguins, became the first NHL team to visit when George H.W. Bush was in office. 

So when did it become big news when an athlete didn’t visit? Maybe 1984, when Larry Bird didn’t show for reasons he kept to himself, saying, “If the president wants to see me, he knows where to find me.” 

He maybe didn’t miss much. As the New York Times reported , “Mr. Reagan mispronounced the names of several Celtics stars of the past, Tom Heinsohn, John Havlicek and Dave Cowens.”

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Michael Jordan, who in 1991, after the Chicago Bulls first NBA title, decided he wanted to play golf instead of meeting with President George W.H. Bush. Some reporters called it “stupid,” but in retrospect, it seems almost quaint, the greatest player on the planet not meeting with the commander-in-chief because he wanted to play some golf. 

Professional teams, college squads or Olympians visiting the president isn’t a new thing, although it has really become more of an actual tradition and spectacle in the last few decades. The more sports started to become part of our culture, the more frequent the visits became, until nearly every team who won a trophy was invited to stop by 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The new tradition, however, is waiting to see who might not show up.or now, fans will wait to see if more Patriots decide they have other things to do when the team makes the trip. After that, the big question will be if the team that wins the NBA title will chose to spend the day with the current president . 

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Which Sports Teams Do Get to Visit the White House?

First Lady Jill Biden rankled sports traditionalists this week when she extended a since-retracted invite to the NCAA women’s basketball runner-up, Iowa, to join the champion LSU Lady Tigers for a White House visit, citing the Hawkeyes’ good sportsmanship in defeat. The walk back of that offer reiterated what American sports fans already know: Losers don’t get to shake hands with the president of the United States. But the heated discussion made us wonder this: Who all does?

Baseball Champions: The tradition of sports teams visiting the White House began on August 10, 1865, shortly after the Civil War, when then-President Andrew Johnson hosted the Brooklyn Atlantics and the Washington Nationals of the National Association of Base Ball Players, an amateur league. (The Atlantics won the league title in 1864, while the Nats scored an invite because Johnson was a fan of the local team.)

The first MLB champions believed to visit the White House were the 1924 Washington Senators, who traveled two miles from their home ballpark to shake hands with Calvin Coolidge the following season.

The Toronto Blue Jays became the first Canadian team to visit the White House when they accepted George H.W. Bush’s invitation after winning the World Series in 1992. The team declined to go again when they repeated in 1993, but no MLB team has turned down the offer since.

Little League World Series: When an American team wins the Little League World Series, they’ve been invited to the White House since at least 1992, when a team of 12-year-old boys from Long Beach, California, were celebrated in a joint ceremony along with the Blue Jays. The kids later said the Jays threw them a party the night before and signed autographs.

NBA Champions: The Celtics became the first champion hoopsters to go to the White House when fellow Bostonian John F. Kennedy invited the team to visit in January 1963 after they won their fourth consecutive title. The tradition of NBA champs visiting the White House was solidified during the Ronald Reagan era and continued apace until Donald Trump assumed office in 2017, when Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said he didn’t want to meet the sitting president. Trump took to Twitter the following day and disinvited the Warriors, who later wound up hanging out with former president Obama when they visited D.C. NBA champions continued staying away from the White House during the Trump era, but the tradition resumed when the Milwaukee Bucks visited Joe Biden in 2021.

WNBA:  The 1999 Houston Comets became the first professional women’s team to be invited to the White House after winning the WNBA championship — which happened to be their third in a row. Each WNBA champ was invited annually until Trump took office in 2017 and invited no teams during his tenure. Champions resumed visiting the White House when Biden assumed office in January 2021.

NFL Champions: Though the Super Bowl has been played since 1966, its champion was not invited to a White House fête until Jimmy Carter extended the honor to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. The catch? They had to share the celebration with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were also coming off a World Series victory. (Pittsburgh mayor Richard Caliguiri gifted Carter with both a Pirates cap and a Terrible Towel).

Reagan made welcoming Super Bowl winners an annual occurrence in the mid-’80s, though wars and other disasters preempted many teams’ visits. The Challenger explosion two days after the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1986 precluded a White House stop by that team, though the squad later got to celebrate in D.C. when Chicagoan (and huge Bears fan) Obama extended an invite in 2011. The New York Giants also missed out on a West Wing swing after winning Super Bowl XXV in 1991; the U.S. had entered the Gulf War ten days earlier, making a White House football fête politically untenable.

The 2000 Super Bowl–winning Rams had their White House invitation rescinded, as Bill Clinton was too busy at Camp David trying to broker a Middle East peace deal between Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The 2003 champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, didn’t go to the White House either that year because the second Iraq War began two months after their Super Bowl victory.

The annual tradition resumed in 2004 and continued every year until 2018, when the Philadelphia Eagles were uninvited to the White House by then-President Trump after reports swirled that only a handful of players would show up to shake his hand. The 2019 Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots, didn’t attend, either. When Joe Biden took office, the White House visits resumed.

Fun fact: The 1972 Miami Dolphins — the only team to ever go undefeated all season en route to a Super Bowl victory — were finally invited to the White House by Obama in 2013.

NHL Champions: The first time hockey players were invited to the White House to celebrate winning the Stanley Cup was when super sports fan Reagan welcomed a handful of New York Islanders in 1983. It didn’t become an annual tradition until George H.W. Bush toasted the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991.

What happens when one of the NHL’s Canadian teams wins? Well, our friends from the Great White North haven’t captured a Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993, and that team skipped the trip.

Major League Soccer: After winning the first two MLS Cups back-to-back in 1996 and 1997, D.C. United received a White House invitation from then-President Clinton in April of 1998. After an unexplained nine-year absence, winners of the MLS Cup have gone to the White House annually since the Houston Dynamo visited George W. Bush in 2007. Victors sat out the Trump years, but resumed the tradition when Biden was elected.

Olympians: If you win a gold medal for Team USA, there’s a good chance you will be invited to meet the president. In 1961, Wilma Rudolph visited the White House to speak with then-Vice-President Lyndon Johnson about physical fitness. Rudolph was coming off a performance at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome that saw her win gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the 4x100 meters relay.

Figure skater Peggy Fleming and her mother, Doris, were treated to a private audience with Lyndon Johnson two months after she won the gold in figure skating in 1968 in Grenoble, France. Johnson even plucked a flower from the White House’s Rose Garden and pinned it to Fleming’s lapel, then gifted her with a gold charm bracelet.

By the time Carter was president, he began inviting Team USA members in large groups, including the “Miracle on Ice” hockey team that won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

NASCAR champions: When NASCAR fan Carter was governor of Georgia and a long-shot presidential candidate, he told members of the racing community that he would invite them to the White House for the first time should he get elected. Carter kept his promise and even tapped Willie Nelson to play the event in 1978. Sadly for Carter, he missed the party as he got stuck at Camp David negotiating a peace agreement with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin.

NASCAR champions and their teams began making regular trips to the White House to celebrate while George W. Bush was president. That tradition has continued every year during the Obama, Trump, and Biden presidencies.

Tour de France winners: Only three Americans have ever won cycling’s biggest event: Greg LeMond, Lance Armstrong, and Floyd Landis. Armstrong was fêted in the Oval Office by George W. Bush in 2001 and even went on a bike ride with the president on his ranch in Crawford, Texas. Landis received a phone call after winning, but never got a visit after he was busted for doping weeks after his win. (Armstrong was later busted and stripped of his titles, too, but White House visits last forever.) LeMond — who won the Tour in 1986, 1989, and 1990 — finally got his flowers when Trump awarded him a Congressional Gold Medal in 2020.

Division I college football champions:  Always invited, and no team has ever turned down the offer. The champions during the 2020 and 2021 seasons were unable to visit the White House due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FCS college football champions: It’s happened twice: Bill Clinton invited Youngstown State in 1995, and Trump invited North Dakota State after they won in 2018.

Men’s and women’s Division I college basketball: Indiana’s men’s basketball team became the first collegiate champion to receive a White House invite from Gerald Ford in 1976. When UConn’s women’s head coach Geno Auriemma won his tenth national title and visited the White House for the third consecutive year in January 2016, then-President Obama joked that Auriemma had been there so many times he’d keep a room with a cot open for him. The invites to collegiate ballers evaporated when Trump assumed office later that month. In fact, only one champion out of the four major basketball associations in the U.S. (NBA, WNBA, and men’s and women’s collegiate basketball) was invited to the White House during Trump’s four years in office. That team? The Baylor Lady Bears, helmed by none other than LSU’s current head coach, Kim Mulkey.

College champions who don’t play football or basketball: George W. Bush began the tradition of inviting the champions of the non-basketball and -football Division I sports to one large ceremony each year. Even Trump’s 2017 event was a hit, attracting 18 championship teams, including Maryland’s men’s lacrosse team, Penn State’s women’s rugby team, Texas A&M’s women’s equestrian teams, and West Virginia’s co-ed rifle team.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are the first NBA champions to visit the White House since 2016

James Doubek

President Biden welcomed the Milwaukee Bucks to the White House, the first NBA champions to visit there in five years. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Biden welcomed the Milwaukee Bucks to the White House, the first NBA champions to visit there in five years.

President Biden welcomed the reigning NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, to the White House on Monday, making them the first NBA champions to visit since 2016.

"In sport and in a democracy, unity perhaps is the most elusive thing and the most necessary thing," Biden said. "But that's who this team is, they're unified. That's who we are as a nation."

Biden praised the "power of a team's example in not just winning the title," adding that players "took a stand for justice and peace in the wake of Jacob Blake's shooting in Kenosha, Wis."

Last year, the Bucks were the first professional sports team to refuse to play a game in protest over Blake's shooting and other racial justice issues, leading to a wave of game cancellations starting in late August 2020 in basketball and baseball.

Bucks point guard George Hill said at the time: "We're tired of the killings and the injustice."

At the White House on Monday, Biden also commended the team motivating people to vote and to be involved in the political process. "You encouraged fans to get vaccinated," Biden said. "I just want to thank you."

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The first NBA champions to visit the White House were the Boston Celtics in 1963, though according to one account they were touring the building and a meeting with President John F. Kennedy came as a surprise .

Visits of champion sports teams in football, basketball, baseball and hockey have become a common occurrence in the years since.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were the last NBA champions to visit the White House, meeting President Barack Obama in November 2016.

The 2017 champions, the Golden State Warriors, were disinvited by President Donald Trump after star Stephen Curry and others with the team said they did not want to go . This followed Trump's comments after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., and Curry saying that "we won't stand for" some of what Trump had said.

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The Warriors won the championship again in 2018. They traveled to Washington, D.C., in January 2019 — but met with Obama instead .

The Toronto Raptors had already ruled out going to the White House before an invitation had been extended, with Raptors player Danny Green saying it was a "hard no" after their 2019 championship win.

And the Los Angeles Lakers, who won the 2020 championship, said they were not visiting President Biden back in April of this year because of coronavirus protocols and scheduling limitations.

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White House championship visits over the years

For as long as most people can remember, championship sports teams have received invitations to the White House on behalf of whichever U.S. president happened to be in office at the time. But exactly how long has this tradition been around, how many teams have been invited and which ones actually attended? We’ll answer these questions with this gallery, your guide to White House championship visits. 

However, before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that not every team gets an invite and not every team accepts the invitation, for various reasons. Also, some of these ceremonies had only a small number of press photographers present or occurred a long time ago, so photos aren’t available for every meet and greet. 

Also, please note that the dates attached to each team are the year in which the World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup or other championship occurred, and are not necessarily representative of the timing of the regular season.

With the Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots set to visit on April 19, here is your all-time list of White House-honored champions.

1957 Industrial Little League of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico (LLWS)

1957 was the first year the Little League World Series included a team from outside of the United States and Canada, so of course that team ended up winning. When all was said and done, the 1957 Little League World Series champions were the Industrial Little League of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, mostly thanks to a perfect game thrown by Mexican pitcher Ángel Macías. In addition to the series, the team also won the opportunity to meet with President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House on Aug. 27, 1957.

1962 Boston Celtics (NBA)

The 1962 NBA champion Boston Celtics were the first basketball team to visit the White House, and they did so on Jan. 31, 1963. The invitation was extended by President John F. Kennedy, who was born and raised in Massachusetts and later represented the state as both a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Although this was the team’s first actual White House visit, Celtics coach Red Auerbach claimed to have been previously invited by President Harry Truman.

1973 Miami Dolphins (NFL)

To date, the Miami Dolphins are the only team to compile a perfect year from the regular season up to and including the Super Bowl. This feat was achieved by the 1972-73 Dolphins, who beat the Washington Redskins, 14-7, way back in Super Bowl VII. However, as President Richard Nixon had more important things to worry about in 1973 (mainly his job), the Fins didn’t get their day at the White House until Aug. 20, 2013, thanks to an invite from President Barack Obama .

1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team

Ordinarily, U.S. Olympic athletes are congratulated at the White House as a whole either before or after the games. However, the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team was no ordinary team. After defeating the heavily favored Soviet Union in the so-called “Miracle on Ice” and then winning gold, President Jimmy Carter singled out members of Team USA at a White House ceremony on Feb. 25, 1980 — just three days after their historic win.

1983 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)

Although President Ronald Reagan took office in Jan. 1981, he wasn’t visited by a championship NBA team until after the Philadelphia 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals. After sweeping the series against the Los Angeles Lakers , the 76ers made the trip to Washington about a week later, on June 8, 1983. According to former 76er Mark McNamara, the president spent about 30 minutes with the team.

1984 Georgetown Hoyas (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

The winner of the 1984 Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament was the Georgetown Hoyas, one of the first college basketball teams to visit the White House. Coach John Thompson, star player Patrick Ewing and the rest of the Hoyas received an invitation from President Reagan after they beat the Houston Cougars in the championship game, 84-75. It is believed that the Indiana Hoosiers were actually the first team to visit the White House following an invite from President Gerald Ford, but this type of trip was uncommon before 1984 due to strict NCAA rules regarding colleges paying for player transportation.

1984 Boston Celtics (NBA)

Back in the day, when you received an invite to the White House, you didn’t waste any time scheduling a visit. The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals on June 12, and on June 13 they were shaking hands with President Reagan. In addition to a team jacket, the Celtics also gifted Reagan a signed basketball. Noticeably absent was star player Larry Bird , who skipped the trip to catch up on some much-needed sleep after the playoffs and subsequent celebrations.

1985 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)

Only a few teams visited President Reagan during his two terms in office, so when the 1985 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers stopped by on June 10, 1985, they made it count. Head coach Pat Riley and players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar each came out to give the president a gift, and by the end he was in possession of a No. 1 Lakers jersey, T-shirt, hat and autographed basketball. Little did anyone know that the Lakers would win the title twice more over the following three seasons.

1986 Chicago Bears (NFL)

The Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears didn’t receive their day at the White House back in 1986, so leave it to Illinois native President Obama to invite them — albeit a bit late, on Oct. 7, 2011. Coach Mike Ditka, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan and a number of former players were on hand for the celebration, which was as much for the team as it was for the president. “This is as much fun as I will have as president of the United States,” Obama said. The team's original White House ceremony was canceled following the tragic Jan. 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

1986 New York Mets (MLB)

After beating the Boston Red Sox in seven games to win the 1986 World Series, the New York Mets visited the White House only a few weeks later. There were some worries that the hard-partying Mets wouldn’t behave themselves on the trip, but the bigger issue ended up being the lack of players who showed up. Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter and a dozen other players were present, but the notable absentees included Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry, Ron Darling, Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson.

1988 Washington Redskins (NFL)

A lot of fun was had when President Reagan invited the Washington Redskins to town after their victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. At the Feb. 3, 1988, event, Reagan received a signed ball and team jersey from star quarterback Doug Williams, and the president also had the opportunity to throw a spiral to wide receiver Ricky Williams. In fact, it seems like the Gipper may have been more excited than the Super Bowl champs. “Make no mistake about it,” Reagan said, “I'm just as enthusiastic as your fans!”

1989 San Francisco 49ers (NFL)

The San Francisco 49ers were so hot back in the '80s that any place they entered immediately became their house, including the White House! President George H.W. Bush invited Joe Montana , Jerry Rice and company to celebrate their Super Bowl XXIII win in Washington on Feb. 3, 1989, and it was clear he had been paying attention to the team’s achievements. “With this, your third Super Bowl title in eight years, you rewrote the record books and raised the game of football to a new level of excellence,” the president said. Of course, no one knew at the time that the 49ers would also win Super Bowl XXIV the very next year.

1989 The National Little League of Trumbull, Connecticut (LLWS)

Four U.S. teams made it into the 1989 Little League World Series championship bracket, but in the end, only one was crowned the winner: The National Little League of Trumbull, Connecticut, who beat the Kang-Tu Little League of Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) in the final game by a score of 5-2. To celebrate this accomplishment, President George H.W. Bush invited the team to visit the White House Rose Garden on Oct. 10, 1989.

1990 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (NCAA Men’s Basketball) and Stanford Cardinal (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

President Bush decided to honor both the NCAA D-I men’s and women’s basketball champions in 1990 and thus invited both the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels and Stanford Cardinal teams, respectively. Coach Jerry Tarkanian and the UNLV men squashed Duke 103-73 in the championship game, while the Stanford women defeated the Auburn Tigers to the tune of 88-81.

1992 Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)

Before leaving office, President Bush welcomed a sports team to the White House one last time on Dec. 16, 1992. Interestingly, however, it wasn’t an American team. The Toronto Blue Jays won the 1992 World Series by beating the Atlanta Braves in six games and thus earned a trip to Washington. However, the Jays weren’t the only winning team at the White House that day; America’s championship Little League and Babe Ruth teams were also in attendance.

1993 Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

March 5, 1993, was a day of numerous firsts in the White House. It marked the first time President Bill Clinton welcomed a championship team to Washington. It also marked the first time the Cowboys were ever invited to the White House, despite previous Super Bowl wins in 1972 and 1978. After receiving a No. 1 “Clinton” jersey from the Super Bowl XXVII champs, the beaming president said he’d start practicing for the Cowboys the next day. However, head coach Jimmy Johnson interjected to say that the team had observed tapes of the POTUS running, and he’d “have to jog a little faster for that reserve quarterback role.”

1994 Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

After winning Super Bowl XXVII in 1993, the Dallas Cowboys also won Super Bowl XXVIII the next year and were rewarded with another trip to the White House on March 1, 1994. Less than three weeks later, following years of friction with owner Jerry Jones, head coach Jimmy Johnson announced he was leaving the team.

1994 Houston Rockets (NBA)

The Chicago Bulls didn’t visit the White House after completing an NBA championship three-peat in 1993, but the Houston Rockets sure were eager to attend on Feb. 18, 1995, after winning their very first title the previous year. As a token of appreciation, President Clinton was given a basketball signed by the entire team. The Rockets would repeat as NBA champions only a few months later but did not visit the White House a second time.

1995 UCLA Bruins (NCAA Men’s Basketball) and UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

In another joint ceremony, President Clinton honored both the UCLA Bruins men’s and UConn Huskies women’s basketball teams at the White House on June 2, 1995. The men’s team won the honor after besting Clinton’s beloved Arkansas Razorbacks 89-78, and the women’s team had to knock off Al Gore ’s home-state Tennessee Volunteers in a 70-64 affair. “The championships were hard for the vice president and me,” Clinton said before jokingly adding, “We just have to hope our ticket does a little bit better in '96.”

1995 New Jersey Devils (NHL)

It took two decades, but the New Jersey Devils finally won their first Stanley Cup in 1995 after sweeping the Detroit Red Wings in four games. The team was subsequently invited to visit the White House by President Bill Clinton and did so on July 10, 1995. New Jersey natives, such as Senator Bill Bradley, turned out for the photo op, which was famous for the moment when Clinton raised Lord Stanley’s Cup in victory while surrounded by Devils captain Scott Stevens and a few other players.

1996 Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

The San Francisco 49ers never got their White House visit after winning Super Bowl XXIX, but when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXX, they were right back in Washington for the third time in four seasons on Feb. 13, 1996. “This is beginning to be boring for them, I think,” President Clinton joked. However, Clinton got serious when it came to acknowledging Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown. The president praised his two-interception MVP performance in the big game, which came at the end of a season in which Brown’s young son tragically passed away.

1996 Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

Having successfully locked up his re-election, one of President Clinton’s first acts of 1997 was to invite the Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche to the White House. The team arrived on Jan. 10, 1997, and brought a gift for the president: an Avalanche jersey with “Clinton” stitched on the back over the number “96,” to recognize the 1996 Stanley Cup victory.

1996 Florida Gators (NCAA Football)

The Florida Gators became national football champions for the first time after beating their in-state rivals, the Florida State Seminoles, in the Sugar Bowl, 52-20. Gator QB Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy that year, but it was clearly coach Steve Spurrier who was running the show. In fact, as recalled by linebacker Mike Peterson, Spurrier also ran the show during a White House visit with President Bill Clinton on March 27, 1997. “The president is holding his jersey up [showing the front] and in classic Coach Spurrier, he tells the president, 'Turn around, turn around, turn around, let them see the other side,’” Peterson said. “He's going to say what he wants anytime.”

1996 Chicago Bulls (NBA)

On April 3, 1997, the Chicago Bulls celebrated their fourth NBA championship in five seasons by visiting the White House for the first time during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Clinton arrived on crutches following recent knee surgery and quipped, “Just think of me as another injured basketball player,” before adding, “I want you to know that in six months, I'll be good as new and available for the next draft.” After passing on a visit after the 1991 NBA championship, 1997 was the first time Michael Jordan made the trip, and he seemed sincerely humbled by the experience.

1997 Green Bay Packers (NFL)

As dominant as Brett Favre was during his 16-year tenure with the Green Bay Packers, he only won one Super Bowl (XXXI) and thus only made it to the White House once, on May 20, 1997. During the visit, Favre spent some time with President Clinton, who praised the quarterback as well as the entire team during his address. As a token of their gratitude, the Packers presented Clinton with a signed football and a jacket.

1997 Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

The Detroit Red Wings flew past the Philadelphia Flyers in just four games of the 1997 Stanley Cup Final to win the franchise’s eighth Stanley Cup and the first in 55 years. In recognition of this feat, President Clinton invited them to the White House on Jan. 30, 1998. Although any trip to the president’s home is significant, this one had some extra heart attached to it. It marked the first public appearance of defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov since he became paralyzed in a limousine accident only six days after his team won the Cup.

1997 Florida Marlins (MLB)

Bill Clinton had a somewhat spotty record when it came to inviting World Series champion MLB teams to the White House — not that it’s his fault. After Bush invited the 1992 Blue Jays, Clinton’s administration did not invite them back after winning again in 1993, likely due to the ongoing strike that unfolded in the offseason and lasted until 1995. The Atlanta Braves won next, but the event wasn’t the usual press affair, and few pictures of the ceremony exist. 1996 was an election year, so the World Series champion New York Yankees had to stay home. However, baseball eventually returned to the White House on Feb. 17, 1998, when Clinton welcomed the 1997 World Series champion Florida Marlins — as evidenced in this snap of him high-fiving manager Jim Leyland.

1996 & 1997 D.C. United (MLS)

After winning back-to-back Major League Soccer (MLS) Cups in 1996 and 1997 — the first two ever awarded — the D.C. United team received an invitation to visit the White House from President Bill Clinton. The trip occurred on April 6, 1998, and included a gift for the president: a No. 1 jersey personalized with his name.

1998 Denver Broncos (NFL)

Brett Favre and the defending champion Green Bay Packers made it to the Super Bowl once again in 1998 but couldn’t top John Elway ’s Denver Broncos, losing 31-24. President Clinton invited the Super Bowl XXXII champion Broncos to the White House on June 16, 1998, and was presented with a No. 1 “Clinton” jersey by MVP running back Terrell Davis. Although the Broncos also won Super Bowl XXXII the following year, they weren't invited to Washington in 1999, likely due to President Clinton’s ongoing impeachment trial.

1998 New York Yankees (MLB)

The New York Yankees weren’t invited to the White House after winning the 1996 World Series due to Bill Clinton’s busy re-election campaign schedule, but the president made sure to invite them on June 10, 1999, after they won the 1998 World Series. Not only did he want to make up for his previous snub, but First Lady Hillary Clinton was gearing up for a run in the U.S. Senate election in New York and needed some local support. She famously donned a Yankees cap at the June 10 ceremony, a pandering move that she later admitted to regretting.

1998 Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

The Detroit Red Wings repeated as Stanley Cup champs in 1998, this time after sweeping the Washington Capitals . They again visited the White House and President Clinton too, this time on Jan. 28, 1999. The big difference? The first time, Clinton was given a No. 1 jersey; the second time, the jersey bore the No. 98. Oh, and it was a home sweater instead of an away one, probably because the Red Wings were beginning to feel like the White House was their second home.

1998 Tennessee Volunteers (NCAA Football)

When the Tennessee Volunteers football team fended off Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl to become national champions, the Vols earned a trip to the White House on Aug. 17, 1999. When they arrived, they didn’t just have a custom jersey for President Clinton, they also had one for Tennessee native Al Gore. As you can probably tell, Gore was just a bit more excited than Clinton, and the words “Al Gore” and “excited” are rarely used in the same sentence.

1999 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (World Cup)

When Julie Foudy , Kristine Lilly, Mia Hamm and the rest of the 1999 U.S. Women’s National Soccer team knocked off China in an overtime shootout, they became World Cup champions and earned a trip to the White House on July 19, 1999. President Clinton took time to single out numerous members of the team, including Brandi Chastain, who scored the winning goal and ripped off her shirt in celebration, which is now an iconic image in U.S. sports history.

1999 San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

The last pro basketball team to visit President Clinton in the White House was the San Antonio Spurs on Sept. 7, 1999. San Antonio was invited to Washington to celebrate its 1999 NBA championship and give the president a No. 1 “Clinton” jersey. During his speech, Clinton likened basketball to politics. “You get ahead, you get behind,” he said. “Normally, you don't know whether you are going to win until it's right before the end the game.”

1999 UConn Huskies (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

By 1999, Mike Krzyzewski had already spent 19 years as Duke’s head coach and led them to the championship game five times, winning two titles. At the same time, Jim Calhoun had been coaching at UConn for 13 years and hadn’t made the championship yet. In fact, even prior to Calhoun, the Huskies had  never  made the big game until 1999, when they met a Duke team searching for its third championship. It was a hard-fought battle, but in the end, UConn emerged victorious. In addition to their first title, the Huskies also earned their first trip to the White House thanks to an invite from President Clinton. That same day, the president was also hosting the Purdue Boilermakers women’s basketball team, who had coincidentally also just defeated the Blue Devils to win their championship game.

1999 Purdue Boilermakers (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

In 1999, the Purdue Boilermakers women’s basketball team and UConn Huskies men’s basketball team both won their respective championships, they both beat Duke teams in the final, they both earned a trip to the White House on Oct. 14, 1999, and they both gifted President Clinton a team jersey bearing his name. The only difference? The Huskies barely edged out a 77-74 win over the Blue Devils, while the Boilermakers easily steamrolled right over them, 62-45.

1999 Florida State Seminoles (NCAA Football)

The last NCAA football team to meet with President Clinton before he left office was Bobby Bowden’s Florida State Seminoles, who visited the White House on March 2, 2000, after beating Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, 46-49. “Perfect” is a word rarely associated with U.S. presidents, but it was used here, as Clinton was meeting with a team that went 12-0 and consistently retained a No. 1 ranking from the preseason through the bowl season.

1999 Dallas Stars (NHL)

If the Dallas Stars had won the Stanley Cup one year later, they could have celebrated their first victory at the White House with a Texas native. Instead, they’d have to settle for partying with President Clinton during their March 16, 2000, visit to Washington. Not only was this the president’s last visit with a hockey team, but it would also be his last visit with any professional sports teams before leaving office the following January.

1999 Houston Comets (WNBA)

On May 23, 2000, the Houston Comets became the first WNBA champions to ever visit the White House. The league was three years old at the time, and the Comets had thus far won every WNBA championship. To congratulate the team, President Bill Clinton invited them to Washington for a ceremony in his last year in office, and he was given a No. 1 Comets jersey with his name on the back as a souvenir.

2000 Oklahoma Sooners (NCAA Football)

Soon after taking office, President George W. Bush met with his first championship college team, the Oklahoma Sooners, who knocked off the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl. They visited the White House on March 5, 2001, and brought with them a No. 1 “Bush” jersey for the president. The ceremony was actually a dual celebration, as the Oklahoma Sooners women’s softball team also won a national championship in 2000.

2000 New York Yankees (MLB)

The New York Yankees won their third World Series in as many years in 2000, but their May 4, 2001, visit was the first with newly elected President George W. Bush. Bush is a huge baseball fan and was clearly excited to welcome world champions such as Derek Jeter , Paul O’Neill, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera to his new home — even if the team had, as he put it, “broke my heart many a time as the owner of the Texas Rangers .” 

2000 Houston Comets (WNBA)

Another year, another WNBA championship for the Houston Comets. This marked four titles in a row for the team and was the second consecutive White House visit. The difference this time was that the ceremony took place on May 14, 2001, and the president was George W. Bush, as Clinton had left office four months earlier. Bush was given a similar No. 1 team jersey, but of course his said “Bush” on the back.

2000 Nebraska Cornhuskers (NCAA Women’s Volleyball)

The Nebraska Cornhuskers won their second NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship in 2000, just before President George W. Bush took office. Thus, one of the first college teams he invited to the White House was Nebraska, which occurred on May 31, 2001. In return, the team presented Bush with a No. 1 team jersey personalized with the name “G.W. Bush.”

2001 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

What better way to celebrate a school’s first NCAA championship than a trip to the White House? That’s exactly what coach Muffet McGraw and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s basketball team did after posting a 34-2 record in the regular season and defeating the Purdue Boilermakers in the 2001 final, 68-66. Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the men’s basketball champion Duke Blue Devils were also in attendance at the joint ceremony on April 23, 2001.

2001 Duke Blue Devils (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

After Duke defeated Arizona in the 2001 NCAA championship, the Blue Devils earned their first trip to the White House under President George W. Bush. The president was gifted a No. 1 “Bush” jersey as well as a signed basketball, and he also got an opportunity to hold the championship trophy. Interestingly, one of the players at the ceremony would later work in the White House. Reggie Love , a Duke backup forward for three seasons, was hired as a special assistant and personal aide to President Obama in early 2009.

2001 Boston College Eagles (NCAA Men’s Hockey)

When President George W. Bush took office, he made an effort to start inviting championship college hockey teams to the White House, starting with the Boston College Eagles on May 10, 2001. They certainly earned it, as the Eagles had to defeat a tough team from North Dakota in the final, which ended with a score of 3-2 in overtime. At the ceremony, coach Jerry York presented Bush with a hockey jersey bearing his name.

2001 Baltimore Ravens (NFL)

When the Super Bowl XXXV champion Baltimore Ravens visited the White House on June 7, 2001, they didn’t give President George W. Bush a jersey that said “Bush,” “POTUS” or “Commander in Chief.” Instead, the Ravens uniform was emblazoned with the number “1” and a single letter: “W.” Of course, before Bush’s comments about the team at the ceremony were finished, he felt the need to point out that there were six Texas natives on the Ravens roster that season.

2001 University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (NCAA Women’s Hockey)

The University of Minnesota-Duluth women’s hockey team has now won five NCAA Tournaments, but it all started with a 2001 victory in the tourney’s inaugural year. That season, the Bulldogs went 28-5-4 on their way to a 4-2 championship win over St. Lawrence. In recognition of their achievement, President George W. Bush invited the team to the White House on June 25, 2001.

2001 Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB)

The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in seven games to win the 2001 World Series, and the team was subsequently given an early Christmas present: a trip to the White House on Dec. 13, 2001. But as President Bush pointed out, the real gift came from the D-Backs and was given to the American people, who needed something to lift their spirits after the tragic events of Sept. 11. "I can't think of a better way to end a World Series, particularly in a time of national need, than in the bottom of the 9th, in the seventh game, everybody watching in the country, people cheering one way or the other, such joy and jubilation,” Bush said. He also thanked the team for taking time to visit Ground Zero during its time in New York.

2000 & 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make it to the White House after beating the Indiana Pacers in six games to win the 2000 NBA championship. Understandable, considering it was an election year. Fortunately, the team also won it all again in 2001 after beating the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Lakers' Jan. 28, 2002 trip was a combined celebration of both championships. Of course, if coach Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Derek Fisher and the rest of the Lakers knew they’d pull off a three-peat later that same season, they probably would’ve just waited another year for their trip to Washington.

2001 Miami Hurricanes (NCAA Football)

For the fifth time in school history, the Miami Hurricanes were national football champions. The last time they won, in 1991, President George H.W. Bush was in office. On March 12, 2002, however, it was his son who had the honor of greeting the championship team. The Hurricanes blew over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Rose Bowl, 37-14, under the leadership of new head coach Larry Coker.

2002 New England Patriots (NFL)

When Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams and won Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002, they had no idea it was the start of a dynasty. And President Bush had no idea he would be inviting the team back to the White House two more times before he left office. The first ceremony took place on April 2, 2002, and it was only the beginning.

2002 University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (NCAA Women’s Hockey)

After winning the inaugural tournament in 2001, the University of Minnesota-Duluth women’s hockey team repeated as champions the very next year. This time, the Bulldogs played Brown in the final game and managed to win 3-2. The team was invited to the White House on May 21, 2002, and gave President Bush a personalized team jersey to commemorate the event.

2002 Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA Men’s Hockey)

In the second overtime finale in as many years, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers beat the Maine Black Bears in the 2002 tournament by a score of 4-3 in front of a hometown crowd. They were invited to the White House on May 21, 2002, in recognition of their championship season, and presented President Bush with a personalized No. 02 team jersey. This was the fourth championship win in school history, and the fact that they used the year as Bush’s jersey number likely meant that they expected to win again during his presidency.

2002 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

Few people knew it in 2002, but the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team was just starting to heat up for a run that would last another decade and a half — and still counting! UConn cruised over Oklahoma by a score of 82-70 for the win that year and received a trip to the White House on May 21, 2002. Players Sue Bird and Swin Cash were tasked with giving President Bush a jersey to commemorate the visit. Bush was also honoring the NCAA men’s champion, the Maryland Terrapins, at the same ceremony.

2002 Maryland Terrapins (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

After breezing past the Indiana Hoosiers in a 64-52 affair, the Maryland Terrapins won their first and only NCAA Tournament to date. This, of course, earned the Terps a trip to the White House on May 21, 2002. During the meeting with President Bush, Most Outstanding Player Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter presented him with a No. 1 “Bush” jersey as a token of appreciation. Bush was also honoring the NCAA women’s champion, the UConn Huskies, at the same ceremony.

2002 Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

There was no meet-and-greet with the president following the Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup victory in 2001, likely due to the fallout after Sept. 11. However, the event was back on the next year to honor the NHL-champion Detroit Red Wings. On Nov. 8, 2002, President George W. Bush welcomed to the White House “the mighty Detroit hockey team, winners of the Stanley Cup three out of the last six years, 10 times winners of Stanley Cup, and the team that made Detroit ‘Hockeytown,’” he said. Before being presented with a jersey, Bush also took time to acknowledge Detroit Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman, who retired following the 2001-02 season.

2002 Anaheim Angels (MLB)

As a former owner of the Texas Rangers, President Bush had a lot to say to his former division rivals, the 2002 World Series champion Anaheim Angels, when they visited the White House on May 27, 2003. Most notably, he apologized for being the one owner who voted against the wild card system in baseball; after all, the Angels only made it into the playoffs in 2002 because of it. He also asked where the Rally Monkey was, before being presented with a jersey from manager Mike Scioscia . 

2003 Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA Men’s Hockey)

To the surprise of very few people, the Minnesota Golden Gophers repeated as hockey champs in 2003. This one came even easier, without the need for overtime, as the Gophers knocked out the New Hampshire Wildcats in an easy 5-1 victory. To recognize this repeat feat, the team was once again invited to the White House on June 17, 2003, and the Gophers once again gave President Bush a personalized jersey — except this time it was No. 03. 

2003 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

The UConn Huskies were back at the White House again in 2003, their third trip in four seasons. They earned the visit after a 73-68 victory over the Tennessee Volunteers in the NCAA Tournament final. At the June 17, 2003, ceremony, UConn guard and future three-time WNBA champion Diana Taurasi was the one who presented President Bush with a custom jersey.

2003 New Jersey Devils (NHL)

The New Jersey Devils passed on visiting the White House after their Stanley Cup victory in 2000, having previously made the trip only five years prior. But there was a new face in the Oval Office after the team’s 2003 win, and the Red Wings elected to meet with President Bush on Sept. 29, 2003. Bush praised the team for its competitiveness and compassion, specifically singling out defenseman Scott Stevens for his commitment to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark and the Hockey Fights Cancer campaign.

2003 San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

The three-peating Los Angeles Lakers passed on a visit to the White House in 2002 after making the trip the previous year, but the San Antonio Spurs were eager to attend when they beat the New Jersey Nets in six games in the 2003 NBA Finals — and they did so on Oct. 14, 2003. After all, not only had the roster changed a bit since the Spurs’ last title win in 1999, but so had the president — and, like the team, he proudly hailed from Texas.

2003 Florida Marlins (MLB)

After welcoming the 2003 World Series champion Florida Marlins to the White House in Spanish on Jan. 23, 2004, President Bush remarked that he hoped the victory would cause one of the team’s biggest fans — his brother, then-governor of Florida, Jeb Bush — to stop bragging. Jeb was of course present for the event. Bush then individually acknowledged almost every member of the team, including Texas-born pitcher Josh Beckett and catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, who spent the first 12 years of his MLB career in a Rangers uniform.

2003 LSU Tigers and USC Trojans (NCAA Football)

Although USC was named the AP and FWAA national champions, the BCS National Championship Game (the Sugar Bowl) was between the Oklahoma Sooners and the LSU Tigers, with LSU emerging victorious by a score of 21-14. Thus, both USC and LSU were invited to meet President Bush at the White House on March 23, 2004. The USC women’s volleyball team, UNC women’s soccer team and Indiana men’s soccer team were also honored at the ceremony.

2003 Detroit Shock (WNBA)

The WNBA returned to the White House on May 24, 2004, after the Detroit Shock toppled the Los Angeles Sparks , who were attempting a three-peat, two games to one in the 2003 WNBA Finals. This was not only the first title in Shock history, but it was the first championship in WNBA history that wasn’t won by either the Sparks or the Houston Comets. President Bush was given an autographed basketball and team jersey to mark the occasion.

2004 UConn Huskies (NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball)

2004 was a historic year for the University of Connecticut. Not only did the women’s basketball team win its third title in a row and the fourth in five years, but the men’s basketball team also won the NCAA Tournament. Thus it only made sense for President Bush to combine the White House visits into a single ceremony, which took place on May 19, 2004. It would have been an especially impressive coincidence if both teams had beaten the same opponent, but this was not the case. The men defeated Georgia Tech in a 82-73 affair, and the women once again beat Tennessee, this time by a score of 70-61. In case you weren’t counting, both teams happened to win their games by nine points.

2004 Denver Pioneers (NCAA Men’s Hockey)

As a huge sports fan, President Bush invited a lot of championship teams to the White House. So many, in fact, that he had to begin inviting multiple victorious teams to each ceremony. For instance, while honoring the Denver Pioneers for their 2004 men’s hockey tournament win over Maine, the May 19, 2004, ceremony also recognized the championship Minnesota women’s hockey team and both the men’s and women’s basketball teams from UConn. 

2004 Detroit Pistons (NBA)

It was all smiles when the 2005 NBA champion Detroit Pistons visited the White House on Jan. 31, 2005. It was the team’s first title in 14 years and President Bush’s first opportunity to host an NBA team that wasn’t the Lakers or the Spurs. He used the opportunity to joke with players like Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups, the latter of whom presented him with a No. 04 “Bush” jersey to commemorate the event.

2004 Boston Red Sox (MLB)

The 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox waited 86 years to make it to the White House, so needless to say, the players were pretty excited to be there. Even senator and lifelong Red Sox fan John Kerry, Bush’s opponent in the 2004 Presidential Election, sneaked into the March 2, 2005, event. There was one notable absence, however: Manny Ramirez. Although many people speculated it was because the slugger didn’t care for President Bush, Johnny Damon famously covered for Ramirez by saying his grandmother was sick.

2005 New England Patriots (NFL)

For the third time in four seasons, the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl (XXXIX, in this case) and returned to the White House on April 13, 2005. In addition to the usual gifts of a jersey and a signed football, Bill Belichick also gave President Bush a replica of his signature hooded sweatshirt, except this one was monogrammed with the initials “GWB” on the front. Also, in what would become something of a trend, senator and New England sports fan John Kerry showed up to the ceremony injured, this time on crutches following recent knee surgery.

2004 & 2005 NCAA Sports Champions

On July 12, 2005, President George W. Bush invited what was then the largest group of NCAA champions ever gathered at the White House to celebrate various wins throughout 2004 and 2005. This included members from the UCLA men's water polo, UCLA women's water polo, UCLA men's tennis, Duke women's golf, Oklahoma men's gymnastics, Northwestern women's lacrosse, Johns Hopkins University men's lacrosse, University of Minnesota women's hockey, Michigan women's softball, Auburn men's swimming and diving, University of Georgia women's swimming and diving, University of Georgia women's gymnastics, University of Georgia men's golf, Stanford women's tennis, and Pepperdine men's volleyball teams. This was the year a few members of the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team created a bit of a stir for wearing flip-flops during their White House visit.

2005 Baylor Lady Bears (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

UNC coach Roy Williams passed on a visit to the White House after winning the 2005 NCAA men’s tournament, but the Lady Bears of Baylor weren’t going to give up their opportunity. After routing the Michigan State Spartans to the tune of 84-62, Baylor packed for a trip to Washington, which took place on July 20, 2005. Baylor University is located in Waco, Texas, so President Bush made sure to refer to the Lady Bears as “some highly successful women from the neighborhood” in his opening remarks.

2005 Chicago White Sox (MLB)

The Chicago White Sox's quest for another World Series berth finally ended after an 88-year wait with a clean sweep of the Houston Astros in the 2005 postseason. As President Bush pointed out at a Feb. 13, 2006, ceremony honoring the Sox, the last time they won, his job was held by Woodrow Wilson, there were only eight teams in the AL and the league’s home run leader owned only nine dingers. Senator and die-hard White Sox fan Barack Obama was present at the ceremony, but of course, at the time, no one knew he would be elected president only two years later. 

2005 Texas Longhorns (NCAA Football)

It’s a good thing President George W. Bush won his 2004 re-election campaign, otherwise it would have been John Kerry who got to invite the University of Texas Longhorns to the White House on Feb. 14, 2006. Texas won the invite after toppling Pete Carroll , Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush ’s USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl in a 41-38 nail-biter. To show some love on Valentine’s Day, Texas coach Mack Brown gave Bush a No. 1 “President Bush” jersey.

2005 Sacramento Monarchs (WNBA)

The 2005 WNBA Finals were the first to use a best-of-five championship series, which was won by the Sacramento Monarchs, three games to one. During a ceremony at the White House on May 16, 2006, President Bush praised the team and the league as a whole for making it to 10 years. “The WNBA has not only lasted, it's thrived, and American sports are better for it,” he said. Monarchs star and MVP Yolanda Griffith presented Bush with a signed basketball and team jersey at the event.

2006 Auburn Tigers (NCAA Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving)

In 2005, the Auburn Tigers men’s swimming and diving team became the first in the sport to receive an invitation to the White House. It was the next year, however, that would be truly historic. Not only did both the Auburn men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams win their respective NCAA titles, but they were both honored at the White House by President George W. Bush. The ceremony was part of a combined honoring of numerous NCAA teams, which is why players from the Florida Gators men’s basketball team and Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball team can be seen in the background of this April 6, 2006, shot featuring Bush showing off a pair of Speedo swimming trunks.

2005 & 2006 Maryland Terrapins (NCAA Women’s Field Hockey)

In a big day for Maryland sports, the 2005 and 2006 NCAA champion field hockey team was honored at the White House on the same day as the 2006 women’s basketball team and 2005 men’s soccer team. At the April 6, 2006, ceremony, Emily Beach, captain of the field hockey team, gave President Bush a team stick to commemorate the visit.

2006 Maryland Terrapins (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

The final game of the 2006 NCAA women’s basketball tournament had to go into overtime to determine a winner, but when all was said and done, the Maryland Terrapins were crowned as champions. Despite standing six feet tall, President Bush had to look up to six-foot-two-inch Terps center Crystal Langhorne when she presented him with a jersey on the White House’s South Lawn on April 6, 2006. The ceremony was thrown in conjunction with the 2006 men’s basketball champion, the Florida Gators.

2006 Florida Gators (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

After stomping UCLA by a score of 73-57 to win the 2006 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Florida Gators then stomped on up to Washington to meet with President Bush. The ceremony took place on April 6, 2006. Although Joakim Noah was the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player, Adrian Moss was the one tasked with presenting a No. 1 “Bush” jersey to the president. The Maryland women’s basketball team was also at the White House that day to celebrate its 78-75 overtime victory against Duke.

2006 Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)

When the Super Bowl XL champion Pittsburgh Steelers visited the White House on June 2, 2006, at least one of the team’s players already personally knew the guy who lived there. Steelers tackle Casey “Big Snack” Hampton used to lift weights at the University of Texas with President Bush, back when Hampton was a student at the school and Bush was governor of the state. But this wasn’t the only coincidental connection. Bush’s newly appointed CIA chief, Gen. Michael Hayden, was once coached in midget football by recently deceased Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney.

2006 St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)

One of the first things President Bush did after inviting the 2006 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals to the White House on Jan. 16, 2007, was compare himself to underdog MVP David Eckstein . “Listen, David, I've made a career out of people underestimating me,” Bush said to a round of laughter and applause. “Or, as I like to sometimes say to keep them on their toes, ‘misunderestimating’ me.” A notable attendee of the event was Lance Corporal Chad Watson of the United States Marine Corps, an amputee and Cardinals fan whom Bush recently met during a visit to the Walter Reed Military Medical Center.

2006 Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

2004 was an election year and the 2005 NHL season was locked out, but hockey returned to the White House on Feb. 2, 2007, when President Bush welcomed the 2006 Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. Bush began by singling out defenseman Mike Commodore, who grew a big red beard and afro during the playoffs, saying, “I'm not sure what is prettier, the Stanley Cup, or Mike Commodore's hair.” He then thanked various players, including Cam Ward and Glen Wesley , for taking the Cup on a tour around the world and spreading joy wherever it went. 

2006 Miami Heat (NBA)

The Miami Heat won the franchise's first NBA championship in 2006, so of course the team took advantage of an invite to the White House on Feb. 27, 2007. Coach Pat Riley presented President Bush with a Heat jersey to mark the occasion, and Shaquille O’Neal gave him a basketball signed by the entire team. Shaq probably also gave Bush feelings of inferiority, as the 7-foot-1-inch center towered over 6-foot-tall president.

2006 Florida Gators (NCAA Football)

The Florida Gators chewed up the Ohio State Buckeyes in the BCS National Championship Game, 41-14, and earned themselves a trip to the White House on March 19, 2007. In a show of thanks, the Gators gifted President Bush a jersey and a signed football, and Bush humorously practiced proper form when he received the handoff from quarterback Chris Leak.

2006 Houston Dynamo (MLS)

After an eight-year absence, Major League Soccer returned to the White House on May 29, 2007, when President George W. Bush invited the Houston Dynamo in honor of the team's MLS Cup victory, the first in team history. Although numerous other MLS teams won since the start of Bush’s presidency, he didn’t extend an invite until the Cup came to his home state of Texas.

2007 Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

The Super Bowl XLI champion Indianapolis Colts had an especially meaningful visit to the White House on April 23, 2007. It was the team’s first Super Bowl victory in 36 years. The Colts spent 15 minutes listening to President Bush repeatedly praise them, and a few lucky players were unexpectedly pulled into the Oval Office for a special, impromptu, 30-minute tour and meeting with Bush himself. In return, the president was given a custom No. 43 jersey emblazoned with his name and a Stetson hat that featured the Colts logo.

2006 & 2007 NCAA Champions

As he did with the 2004 and 2005 NCAA champions and 2005 and 2006 champions, President Bush invited the 2006 and 2007 champs to the White House on Sept. 21, 2007. This included members of the Arizona State University women's indoor and outdoor track and field, University of Minnesota men's wrestling, Duke University women's golf, University of Alaska Fairbanks men's and women's rifle, Oregon State University baseball, Brown University women's crew, University of Tennessee women's basketball, and the John Hopkins University men's lacrosse teams. 

2007 Tennessee Volunteers (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

It was quite the party at the White House on Sept. 21, 2007. That day, President Bush welcomed the 2007 NCAA women’s tournament champions, the Tennessee Volunteers, who won it all after defeating Rutgers in the final by a score of 59-46. It was a packed South Lawn when the Vols arrived, as Bush was also honoring a dozen other NCAA championship teams from the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

2007 Warner Robins American Little League, Warner Robins, Georgia (LLWS)

In 2006, the Northern Little League of Columbus, Georgia defeated Kawaguchi City Little League of Kawaguchi, Japan in the championship game. 2007 was a bit of deja vu, although the teams were slightly different. That year, the USA champion was from Warner Robins, Georgia, and it defeated the international champion from Tokyo, Japan. Like the previous year, this one was also a close game, with the final score of 3-2 decided in extra innings. To honor the team’s achievements, President George W. Bush invited the players to visit and tour the White House on Nov. 1, 2007.

2007 Anaheim Ducks (NHL)

When the 2007 Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks arrived at the White House on Feb. 6, 2008, President Bush began by poking fun at Vice President Dick Cheney’s hunting accident from a couple years prior. “Have you noticed a lot of security around here?” Bush asked. “It's because the Vice President heard there were some Ducks around.” On a more serious note, the president also thanked the 19 Anaheim players who brought the Cup into the combat zone to visit with troops at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.

2007 Boston Red Sox (MLB)

After breaking the curse in 2004, the Red Sox barely wasted any time winning the World Series again and returning to the White House. The Sox were once again on top in 2007 after they swept the Colorado Rockies in four games, and their visit to Washington occurred on Feb. 27, 2008. Manny Ramirez was once again absent, leading President Bush to quip: “I guess his grandmother died again. Just kidding.”

2007 LSU Tigers (NCAA Football)

Although President Bush previously invited the LSU championship football team to the White House in 2004, he appeared to get an even bigger kick out of the 2007 version of the team when it visited him on April 7, 2008. In addition to the obligatory jersey, Bush was also given a personalized football bearing his name, the LSU Tigers’ name and the 38-24 final score of their BCS National Championship Game against the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

2007 Houston Dynamo (MLS)

The Houston Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and received a trip to the White House, so of course they’d have to be invited back after repeating in 2007. In addition to bringing a second trophy to show President Bush, the team also brought him a souvenir jersey and ball to commemorate the June 5, 2008, ceremony, which also included a tour of the Oval Office.

2007 Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Almost five years to the day after Diana Taurasi and the 2003 NCAA women’s basketball champion UConn Huskies visited the White House, Taurasi was back meeting with President Bush again, this time as a member of the Phoenix Mercury, the 2007 WNBA champions. The victory was the first for the team, and the Mercury was honored in Washington on June 23, 2008.

2008 New York Giants (NFL)

The New England Patriots’ shot at a perfect season ended thanks to an improbable helmet catch by David Tyree and a 17-14 Super Bowl XLII victory by the New York Giants. Although President Bush thanked the Giants players for their commitment to helping America’s troops and youth at an April 30, 2008, ceremony honoring them, he kept coming back to the Super Bowl win, calling it “one of the great, legendary football games in our country's history.” Bush was also gifted a signed ball, and, as the photo shows, he was sure to use the proper technique when he received the handoff from quarterback Eli Manning .

2008 Kansas Jayhawks (NCAA Div-I Men’s Basketball)

The last NCAA men’s basketball team welcomed to the White House by President George W. Bush was the 2008 Kansas Jayhawks, who beat the Memphis Tigers in a gripping overtime affair that ended with a score of 75-68. The ceremony took place June 3, 2008, and Bush clearly knew his stuff or was at least well-briefed beforehand. "When KU fans come to the Rose Garden, they don't come to admire the flowers," Bush said. "They come to wave the wheat.” The president was given a jersey, championship hat and basketball at event.

2007 & 2008 NCAA Champions

On June 24, 2008, President Bush welcomed a whopping 20 teams to the White House to celebrate various NCAA champions. This included members from the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics, University of Georgia women's gymnastics, University of Georgia men's tennis, UCLA women's tennis, UCLA men's golf, UCLA women's water polo, University of California men’s water polo, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore women’s bowling, University of Oregon men's cross country, University of North Carolina women's field hockey, Penn State men's volleyball, Penn State women's volleyball, University of Denver men's and women's ski, USC women's golf, Ohio State men's and women's fencing, Boston College men's hockey, University of Minnesota-Duluth women's hockey, and University of Tennessee women's basketball teams.

2008 Boston Celtics (NBA)

The Boston Celtics own 17 NBA championships, but after a 22-year drought, the 2008 title team made the most of its victory with a trip to the White House on Sept. 19, 2008. “Celtic pride is back,” President Bush said upon the team’s arrival at the ceremony. Bush praised team captain Paul Pierce for playing through his injuries and also noted that it would be the last NBA team hosted at the White House before the impending regime change. The Celtics gifted the president a signed basketball and a “Bush” team jersey, and also vowed to donate $100,000 to the Red Cross to assist those recently affected by Hurricane Ike.

2008 Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

The Detroit Red Wings visited President Bush for the second time during his presidency on Oct. 14, 2008, after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games to win the 2008 Stanley Cup. To celebrate this achievement, the Red Wings brought two jerseys for Bush: one emblazoned with the No. 43, to mark his place as the 43rd president, and the other with No. 41, to give to his father, President George H.W. Bush. Chris Chelios also presented Bush with a miniature Stanley Cup replica as an additional gift.

2008 NCAA Champions

Just to make sure he didn’t miss anyone before leaving office, President George W. Bush called together one last group of NCAA champions from the 2008 season on Nov. 12, 2008. This final collection included members of the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team, University of Arizona men's and women's swimming and diving, Arizona State University men's and women's indoor track and field, Arizona State University women's softball, Florida State men's outdoor track and field, Northwestern University women's lacrosse, LSU women's outdoor track and field, Brown University women's rowing, and Fresno State men's baseball teams. 

2008 Florida Gators (NCAA Football)

Following in the footsteps of the 2006 championship team, the 2008 Florida Gators also won the BCS National Championship and were rewarded with a trip to the White House on April 23, 2009. However, there was a different president living there this time, as Barack Obama had been sworn in only three months prior. The team was clearly excited to meet the new Commander-in-Chief, as they turned out in droves for the ceremony. In addition to a personalized Gators jersey, Obama was also given a special commemorative football to mark the occasion.

2008 Philadelphia Phillies

There was a lot of excitement at the White House on May 15, 2009. Not only was it a celebration of the first Philadelphia Phillies World Series victory in 28 years, it was also recently elected President Barack Obama’s first time welcoming an MLB team to his new home. Obama quickly pointed out the Phillies underdog status throughout the 2008 season and likened the team to himself. “We share something in common there, because nobody thought I was going to win either," he joked. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins , an enthusiastic Obama supporter, presented the president with a signed ball and jersey. Obama, however, wanted more; he facetiously asked for Rollins’ World Series ring.

2008 Columbus Crew (MLS)

After a number of close games, the Columbus Crew cruised over the New York Red Bulls in the 2008 MLS final by a score of 3-1. This was the team’s first-ever Cup win, and since their White House visit took place on July 13, 2009, the Crew became the first MLS team to meet President Obama. As a token of gratitude - and also a housewarming gift - the Crew brought the president an autographed ball and a team jersey.

2008 Detroit Shock (WNBA)

President Obama continued the tradition of inviting WNBA champions to the White House when he welcomed the Detroit Shock on July 27, 2009. The 2008 champs swept the San Antonio Silver Stars in the finals to win the third title in team history. Team captain Cheryl Ford and MVP Katie Smith were the players tasked with presenting a team ball and jersey to Obama during the ceremony.

2009 Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)

It was fitting that recently elected President Barack Obama hosted the Super Bowl XLIII champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the White House’s East Room, as the space’s white and gold color scheme is reminiscent of the team’s own colors. Although new to the job, Obama was actually quite familiar with the Steelers organization already, as owner Dan Rooney did a lot to help Obama get elected in the first place. Sometime between the Super Bowl victory on Feb. 1, 2009, and the White House meeting on May 21, 2009, the president named Rooney as the American ambassador to Ireland.

2009 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

President Barack Obama is a die-hard basketball fan, so it was probably a real treat for him to invite the 2009 champion UConn women’s basketball team to the White House on April 29, 2009. However, it was probably a bigger treat for the ladies. Although the 76-54 win over Baylor was the fifth in 10 years for the UConn women’s team, it was the first for all the ladies on the 2009 team, as it had been five years since the last Connecticut win. The president was given a signed basketball and custom jersey with the name “B. Obama” on the back, just in case another Obama joins the team down the road.

2009 North Carolina Tar Heels (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

President Obama was quite excited to welcome the NCAA champion North Carolina Tar Heels to the White House on May 11, 2009. Not only is he a huge basketball fan and this was the first men’s college team he had the pleasure to welcome to his home, but Obama also correctly picked UNC to win it all when filling out his bracket. Sure, he got almost half of his other picks wrong in the 2009 tourney, but he made the one that counted. The Heels gifted Obama a jersey and a signed team photo.

2009 Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)

After welcoming the Pittsburgh Steelers to the White House in May 2009, President Obama hosted the 2009 Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins less than four months later, on Sept. 10. Obama got to hold the Cup, but he was more appreciative of the team for sharing it with fans around the country. “They took it on fishing trips and stopped by neighborhood barbecues. They visited elementary schools and brightened the days of children recovering in the hospital,” Obama said. Even before the ceremony, Penguins players held a hockey clinic for local children as part of the “United We Serve” program.

2009 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)

After winning their 15th NBA Championship by besting the Orlando Magic in five games of the 2009 NBA Championship, the Los Angeles Lakers stopped by the White House to meet with President Obama on Jan. 25, 2010. “Nobody exemplifies excellence in basketball better than the Los Angeles Lakers last year," said Obama, who was presented with a jersey by Lakers stars Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant. Bryant pointed out that although it was his second visit to the White House with a winning Lakers team, this one was a bit more meaningful as Obama is a huge basketball fan, while George W. Bush “is more of a baseball guy.” (It’s worth noting that the Lakers only made one trip to the White House during Bush’s two terms, despite winning the NBA Championship three times.) During the visit, Obama also trash talked with Magic Johnson and praised Phil Jackson, mostly for his six rings with the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers won again in 2010, but elected to not visit the White House afterward.

2009 Alabama Crimson Tide (NCAA Football)

“President Obama welcomed the national champion Alabama Crimson Tide football team to the White House” will get to be a repetitive statement, but it all started on March 8, 2010. That was the day the Tide rolled into Washington after a 14-0 season that ended with them beating the Texas Longhorns 37-21 for their 13th national title and first in 17 years. Get used to it.

2009 New York Yankees (MLB)

Although President Obama, a longtime Chicago White Sox fan, praised the New York Yankees for their 2009 World Series victory and extensive charity work during a ceremony at the White House on April 26, 2010, there was also plenty of playful ribbing from both sides. “Let him hold it,” Yankees Assistant General Manager Jean Afterman said in regard to the trophy. "He may not get another chance again." The President quickly retorted by saying, “And you wonder why the other teams don't root for you.” During the event, Obama was presented with a signed jersey, which, in typical Yankee fashion, didn’t include a name on the back, only the No. 27 to mark the amount of times the Bronx Bombers have won the World Series.

2009 Real Salt Lake (MLS)

Real Salt Lake captured their first MLS Cup in 2009, and made their first White House visit on June 4, 2010. At the ceremony, Obama acknowledged and praised the fact that the Utah-based team didn’t qualify for the playoffs until the very last day and entered with a losing record, but still went on to win the Cup. “All of which goes to show that in Major League Soccer, there's no such thing as a foregone conclusion,” he said.

2009 Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Two years after visiting with President George W. Bush, the Phoenix Mercury once again returned the White House as WNBA Champions – this time to meet with President Barack Obama on July 19, 2010. The Mercury edged out a series victory against the Indiana Fever in five games to win the 2009 title. 

2010 Duke Blue Devils (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

It’s possible that President Obama was a good luck charm for the Duke Blue Devils, because after he attended one of their 2010 NCAA tournament games, they went on to win it all. However, Obama didn’t pick Duke in his bracket that year, which he was reminded of at the White House on May 27, 2010, when coach Mike Krzyzewski presented him with a bracket plaque showing the school’s path to victory. During the team visit, the Blue Devils also brought Obama a jersey, which, in what may have been the first time ever, was neatly displayed in a frame. How did nobody think of that before?

2010 New Orleans Saints (NFL)

When the New Orleans Saints arrived at the White House on Aug. 9, 2010, to commemorate their 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, Obama applauded the team for lifting “the hopes and the dreams of a shattered city” following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina less than five years earlier. Obama also praised Chicago-born Saints Head Coach Sean Payton and his team for their performance in the game and their efforts to give back to the community, which included playing football with kids at the Boys and Girls Club and visiting wounded troops and their families at Walter Reed Army Medical Center during the D.C. trip.

2010 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)

After winning the 2010 NBA championship, the Los Angeles Lakers were invited back to Washington on Dec. 13, 2010 –but the ceremony didn’t take place at the White House. “Kobe and Derek have been there so many times now, they could lead tours themselves,” Obama joked. “The same is true for Coach Jackson.” So instead, the president and the Lakers met at the city’s Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC) for a charity event with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington. Due to the proximity of the White House, we’re still counting it.

2010 Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

It took almost an entire year for the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to make it to the White House to meet President Obama on March 11, 2011, but it was a moment that was thoroughly savored by both sides. After all, Chicago had been waiting 49 years to win another Stanley Cup (the franchise’s fourth) and Obama had been waiting his entire life. “This one is a little sweeter," Obama said of his hometown Hawks’ victory visit and the jersey presented to him as a gift. First Lady Michelle Obama wouldn’t leave empty handed either, though; she was given a “FLOTUS” jersey from USA Hockey as recognition for her “Let's Move” initiative for children's health.

2010 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

Hopefully President Obama remembered some names from the 2009 champion UConn Huskies team during their White House visit, because the ladies were back again in 2010 after beating Stanford 53-47. The ceremony was on May 17, 2010 this time around and had to be moved inside, but other than that, it was a very similar affair. Hopefully Obama wasn’t already sick of seeing the Huskies win, because he’d see them several more times before his two terms eventual expired.

2010 Auburn Tigers (NCAA Football)

After quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton led his Auburn Tigers team past Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game, he led them to the White House on June 8, 2011. President Obama initially invited the team in April, but their trip was postponed when he had to unexpectedly fly to Alabama to survey tornado damage. “Two days after the tornado, almost 70 Auburn coaches, players, and athletic department staff – led by Coach – traveled to Pleasant Grove and Cullman to help out with relief efforts,” Obama said in praise of the team. “Even though one of the toughest-hit areas by the storm was the home of the Crimson Tide.”

2010 San Francisco Giants (MLB)

Buster Posey, Freddy Sanchez , Jonathan Sanchez, Pat Burrell, and a few other notable San Francisco Giants couldn’t make the White House visit on July 25, 2011 after winning the 2010 World Series, but there were still plenty of characters on hand. President Obama found time to poke fun at quirky reliever Brian Wilson and praise two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum (about whom he quipped: "America learned sometimes it's a good idea to bet on the skinny guy. So, you and me.") He also pointed out that Willie Mays, who attended the ceremony, was only 23 years old the last time the Giants won it all. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a lifelong Giants fan from California, also made it a point to attend.

2010 Colorado Rapids (MLS)

The Colorado Rapids won their first MLS Cup after a narrow 2-1 victory over FC Dallas , earning the team their first visit with President Obama at the White House on June 27, 2011. In addition to giving Obama a No. 10 jersey, the Rapids also held a soccer clinic for children of military families on the South Lawn.

2010 Seattle Storm (WNBA)

The Seattle Storm celebrated their second team title in 2010 with a trip to the White House on June 29, 2011. For a couple players, however, it wasn’t their first visit. Swin Cash and Sue Bird previously came on behalf of the UConn Huskies, and Cash also came with the Detroit Shock in 2007. “In fact, we can’t get rid of Swin,” President Obama joked. “I think she’s got a cot here somewhere.” 

2011 UConn Huskies (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

The 53-41 result was a low-scoring affair, but that didn’t matter to the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team, who were back on top in 2011 after knocking off Butler in the final. This was the team’s first win in seven years, which meant it was also their first visit to the White House under President Obama. During the May 16, 2011 trip to Washington, the Huskies also gave back to the community by holding a youth basketball clinic.

2011 Green Bay Packers (NFL)

When the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 and won Super Bowl XLV, they were invited to the White House on Aug. 12, 2011. Given the fact that President Obama is a noted Chicago Bears fan, the event was expected to be humorously tense. "I'm just going to come out and say it, this hurts a little bit,” Obama joked. “You guys come to my house to rub it in. What are you going to do next, go to Ditka's house?” In response, the Packers presented the president with a certificate of stock in the team to accompany a No. 1 jersey emblazoned with the name “Commander in Chief.”

2011 Texas A&M Aggies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

For teams not named “UConn,” winning the women’s basketball tournament is a unique accomplishment - especially when it’s the first your team has ever won! So when the Texas A&M Aggies beat Notre Dame in the final, by a score of 76-70, they celebrated like any team would: a trip to the White House. “They’ve defied expectations, they’ve won close games, and played with a whole lot of heart,” President Obama said during the Oct. 6, 2011 visit. “And now the Aggies are the best team in women’s basketball.”

2011 Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

The Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA Championship in 2011 and subsequently took their first trip to the White House on Jan. 9, 2012. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd were among the players in attendance to celebrate the team’s victory over the Miami Heat in six games, as was Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, but guard Delonte West was notably absent. It was initially reported that West, who has a criminal record, was “banned” from the White House, but the Secret Service denied this claim, meaning it may have instead been a team decision.

2011 St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)

After winning the 2011 World Series over the Texas Rangers in seven games, the St. Louis Cardinals visited the White House on Jan. 17, 2012. This day also happened to be First Lady Michelle Obama’s birthday, a fact that wasn’t lost on the team. The Cards brought two No. 44 “Obama” jerseys and two souvenir bats with them. Mrs. Obama also thanked the team for all the work they do for veterans and their families, which included a visit to Walter Reed Military Medical Center that coincided with the White House trip. Notable absentees were Manager Tony LaRussa and slugger Albert Pujols , who had retired and signed elsewhere in the offseason, respectively.

2011 Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win the Stanley Cup in 2011, and they were rewarded with a trip to the White House to meet President Obama on Jan. 23, 2012. However, one of the most notable attendees wasn’t a player or a president, it was U.S. Senator John Kerry. Kerry was not only a representative of Massachusetts at the time, but he was also a huge hockey fan. In fact, Kerry famously attended the Bruins’ White House ceremony sporting two black eyes he sustained after taking a stick to the face during a family hockey match the previous weekend.

2011 Alabama Crimson Tide (NCAA Football)

Coach Nick Saban made his second trip to the White House in three seasons on April 19, 2012, following an invitation from President Obama. Obama wished to congratulate the Alabama Crimson Tide on their most recent BCS National Championship win, which was a lopsided 21-0 affair against the LSU Tigers. The president was given a helmet and jersey both sporting the number “14,” a nod to the 14 national titles won by the school.

2011 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)

President Obama would get used to seeing the Los Angeles Galaxy in the White House throughout his second term in office, but his first meeting with the team actually came on May 15, 2012, after they shut out the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the MLS Cup final. In addition to bringing a jersey for the president, David Beckham and co. also participated in a “Let’s Move” Q&A session with young soccer fans and First Lady Michelle Obama.

2011 Minnesota Lynx (WNBA)

It took 13 seasons, but the Minnesota Lynx finally captured their first WNBA championship in 2011 after sweeping the Atlanta Dream in three games. In recognition of this accomplishment, President Obama invited the team to the White House on Sept. 18, 2012. But this accomplishment wasn’t just big for the team, it was big for the entire state, as it had been 20 years since the last time a major league team from Minnesota won a championship.

2012 Kentucky Wildcats (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

Prior to 2012, the last time the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team won the NCAA Tournament was 1998. Sure, that was only a 14-year gap, but it was two whole presidents ago — and of course, it was also an entirely different set of players. Thus, when Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist beat Kansas in the big game, the entire team made the trip to the White House on May 4, 2012. President Obama was obviously excited to meet the talented youngsters, even if he didn’t pick them to win it all. “I had them in the championship game,” he clarified.

2012 New York Giants (NFL)

First, Eli Manning led his New York Giants teammates to a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, then he led them to the White House to meet President Obama on June 8, 2012. In addition to praising their work on the field, Obama also lauded the Giants for their commitment to helping veterans of the armed forces.

2012 Baylor Lady Bears (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

Although the Baylor Lady Bears won the NCAA Tournament seven years prior, the 2012 version of the team had new players and a new president to visit. They even did it in a new location, opting for the White House’s East Room over the Rose Garden. In fact, pretty much the only thing that was the same between the 2005 visit and the one on July 18, 2012, was the team’s coach, Kim Mulkey. The Lady Bears earned the trip after fighting off the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the final, 80-61.

2012 Miami Heat (NBA)

After winning the 2012 NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games, the Miami Heat was invited to the White House on Jan. 28, 2013. President Obama acknowledged that a big part of team’s title run came courtesy of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but he also praised the three men for taking their roles seriously as fathers. The meeting was famous for James stating that it was their “Mama, I made it” moment.

2012 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)

Was President Obama the good luck charm that caused the L.A. Galaxy to repeat as champions in 2012? Or were the Galaxy the good luck charm that caused Obama to get re-elected that same year? Either way, one year after previously meeting, the Galaxy was at the White House again on March 26, 2013, to celebrate another MLS Cup. The Galaxy also held another “Let’s Move” Q&A, but this ceremony was most notable for Obama receiving a soccer ball gift and promptly bouncing it off his head.

2012 Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

President Obama welcomed the 2012 Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings to the White House on March 26, 2013, in an event that also celebrated the 2012 MLS Cup champions, the Los Angeles Galaxy. Both organizations are owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group. “We also found out that both of these teams are full of some pretty standup players and coaches,” Obama said. “They are out in the community year-round changing lives and making a difference.” To mark the occasion, the Kings gave the president a No. 44 “Obama” jersey.

2012 Alabama Crimson Tide (NCAA Football)

Another year, another title for Alabama, another trip to the White House to see President Obama. After the 2012 Crimson Tide team won it all in the BCS National Championship Game against Notre Dame by a score of 42-14, Nick Saban and his team visited Washington on Tax Day, April 15, 2013. Following a trend that began the previous year, the team gave Obama a No. 15 jersey and helmet to mark the school's 15th national title.

2012 San Francisco Giants (MLB)

In lieu of yet another jersey, the San Francisco Giants switched things up after their 2012 World Series victory and instead gifted President Obama a signed baseball and bat at their White House meeting on July 29, 2013. During the event, Obama praised the team’s resiliency and ability to fend off elimination six times during the 2012 playoffs. He also lauded the Giants for their commitment to supporting members of the LGBTQ community and plans to install an edible garden at AT&T Park. Not only would it become the first ever of its kind in a major American sports facility, but it was also an initiative of which First Lady Michelle Obama was especially fond.

2012 Indiana Fever (WNBA)

The Indiana Fever came close to its first WNBA championship win in 2009 but didn’t actually get one until three years later. President Obama subsequently gave the team a White House invite for June 14, 2013, and the Fever, in return, gave him a signed basketball and team jersey. He also thanked numerous players for giving back to the community, including Tamika Catchings , who started her own foundation called Catch the Stars. This was especially meaningful to Obama, as the foundation works with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” program.

2013 Baltimore Ravens (NFL)

The Baltimore Ravens only had to travel a short distance from their home turf to Washington a few months after a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, meaning the whole team was present to pose with President Obama on the White House lawn on June 5, 2013. Although he teased players such as Jacoby Jones, Joe Flacco, Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, Obama made a big impression on the team, with head coach John Harbaugh repeatedly remarking afterward how cool the whole experience was. “This kind of experience makes you proud of your country and proud of your accomplishments,” Harbaugh said.

2013 Louisville Cardinals (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

Don’t be fooled by the Louisville Slugger being wielded by President Obama in the photo; this isn’t a ceremony for the Louisville Cardinals baseball team. It’s for the 2012 champion basketball team. Louisville visited the White House on July 23, 2013, following a 82-76 victory over the Michigan Wolverines. The team "stayed focused on one singular goal,” Obama said during his speech, “and that is to bust my bracket."

2013 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

Following a two-year absence, the UConn Huskies returned to the White House on July 31, 2013, to celebrate their decisive 93-60 victory over the Louisville Cardinals in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. In return, President Obama was given a signed basketball, a spiffy team jacket and bunny ears courtesy of a couple funny ladies standing behind him when the photos were taken.

2013 Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

The Chicago Blackhawks visited the White House after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011, and they did so again after winning it in 2013. The event took place on Nov. 4, 2013, and was attended by politicians such as Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Mike Quigley, both of whom hail from Illinois. Obama cracked a fair share of his usual jokes and ended with a statement that was unintentionally prophetic: “To the Bulls, Bears, Cubs, White Sox: I am term-limited, so you guys have got to get moving. I need to see you here soon. Championships belong in Chicago.”

2013 Miami Heat (NBA)

The “Big Three” made their second White House visit in as many years when Obama welcomed the Miami Heat on Jan. 14, 2014, after Miami defeated the San Antonio Spurs in seven games to win the 2013 NBA title. “This group has now won twice but it's gone to the finals three times and, sometimes, it feels like they're still fighting for a little respect,” Obama said, adding, "I can relate to that.” The president was gifted a signed basketball and team jersey emblazoned with the No. 44 and the name “POTUS,” but he also wanted to talk about another gift: the $2 million raised by the Heat in 2013 for local Miami charities. Obama wished the team luck in the 2014 season, except for the games in which they play his hometown Chicago Bulls.

2013 Boston Red Sox (MLB)

The Boston Red Sox were honored at the White House on April 1, 2014, for their 2013 World Series championship, and it was obvious the players were excited. Outfielder Jonny Gomes wore a red, white and blue American flag suit, and designated hitter David Ortiz snapped a selfie with President Obama after presenting him with a custom No. 44 “Obama” jersey. On a more somber note, Obama also noted that the World Series win was a much-needed victory following the Boston Marathon bombings that took place less than seven months prior.

2013 Minnesota Lynx (WNBA)

For the second time in three seasons, the Minnesota Lynx were back on top of the WNBA and back in the White House. The Finals once again came down to a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Dream, but this time the Washington visit took place on June 12, 2014. In addition to praising the team for its on-court heroics, President Obama also commended the Lynx for helping teach local students learn how to read and for raising money for breast cancer research.

2013 Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

Although 2013 was the first time a team called Sporting Kansas City won the MLS Cup, it was actually the club’s second championship. The K.C. team previously won back in 2000 when the players were known as the Kansas City Wizards but changed their name in Nov. 2010 after moving to a new stadium. President Obama was given a commemorative medal at the White House ceremony, which took place on Oct. 1, 2014.

2014 Seattle Seahawks (NFL)

Upon welcoming the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks to the White House on May 21, 2014, President Obama immediately made a joke at cornerback Richard Sherman’s expense. Referencing his enraged interview earlier in the season, Obama said, “I considered letting Sherman up here to the podium today, giving him the mic, but we’ve got to go in a little bit,” which was received with smiles and laughs by all in attendance. However, Obama then got serious when he praised Sherman’s ability to overcome adversity in his life and accomplish great things, much like the Seahawks did on their way to a 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in the big game.

2014 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

There was a wide range of emotions at the June 9, 2014, ceremony honoring the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team. There was pride, as the Huskies beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish by a score of 79-58 in order to earn their trip to the White House. There was deja vu, as the team had been there a year before and numerous times in the previous decade and a half. And there was even some excitement, as center Stefanie Dolson fell off the risers during the photo op but managed to stick the landing and laugh it off with President Obama. The event was thrown in conjunction with the UConn men’s basketball team, who had also won the men's tournament. 

2014 UConn Huskies (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

For the second time in President Obama’s second term, he welcomed the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team as NCAA champions on June 9, 2014. To make their return, the Huskies had to beat the Kentucky Wildcats, which they did by a score of 60-54. There weren’t a lot of familiar faces for Obama this time, as all the players had graduated and coach Jim Calhoun had retired (and been replaced by Kevin Ollie) in the time since their last victory. The event was thrown in conjunction with the UConn women’s basketball team, who had also won the women's tournament. 

2014 Jackie Robinson West All-Stars (Little Baseball League International Tournament)

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were both on hand at the White House on Nov. 6, 2014, to congratulate the Chicago-based Jackie Robinson West All-Stars for their 2014 victories in both the Great Lakes Regional and United States championships. Sadly, the team would later be stripped of its titles by Little League Baseball for using a falsified boundary map in order to build a so-called “superteam.”

2014 San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Miami Heat in five games and earned themselves a trip to the White House on Jan. 12, 2015. While President Obama cracked his usual jokes with the 2014 NBA championship team, he also praised the Spurs for being diverse, calling the team “the United Nations of basketball teams”; recognized them for hiring Becky Hammon , the NBA’s first full-time paid female assistant; and acknowledged their public service efforts to promote literacy in San Antonio.

2014 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)

For the third time in four seasons, the Los Angeles Galaxy won the MLS Cup. This was also the second time in three seasons that both the Galaxy and the Los Angeles Kings hockey team were champions. So, as it did after the 2012 wins, the White House held a ceremony to honor both teams on Feb. 2, 2015. Since the president already owned a No. 1 “Obama” jersey, the one given to him at this event said “Barack” instead.

2014 Los Angeles Kings (NBA)

When the 2014 Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings visited the White House, it felt like Groundhog Day, and not just because the calendar read Feb. 2, 2015. The event marked the second time in less than two years that both the L.A. Kings and L.A. Galaxy were honored at the White House as champions on the same day. "So if you see Bill Murray playing the piano in the foyer, you know something weird is going on," the president joked.

2014 Ohio State Buckeyes (NCAA Football)

The 2013 Florida State Seminoles never got their day at the White House, but the Ohio State Buckeyes received an invitation the following year after beating Oregon 42-20 to win the national title. The meet-and-greet took place on April 20, 2015, and actually included someone who had previously met the president a couple times: Urban Meyer. Meyer was formerly the head coach of the University of Florida Gators, who visited Obama’s White House in 2007 and 2009.

2014 San Francisco Giants (MLB)

For the third time in President Obama’s two terms in office, the San Francisco Giants won the World Series, and the president opened his remarks at the June 4, 2015, event by saying, “For these folks, I guess it's welcome back." However, the repetition clearly hadn’t become a bore to the Giants players, coache, and members of the front office, as team president Larry Baer said it never gets old. In fact, superstitious fans might view Obama as a bit of a charm for the team. “I seem to be good luck for them," the POTUS joked.

2014 Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

The Phoenix Mercury swept the Chicago Sky in three games to win the 2014 WNBA championship, which probably didn’t make Illinois native President Obama too happy. “You have kept yet another Chicago sports team from getting into the White House,” he joked, after inviting the team to celebrate its victory at the White House on August 26, 2015. Diana Taurasi was once again present, although she was sitting out the 2015 WNBA season at the request of her overseas team.

2015 New England Patriots (NFL)

President Obama welcomed the Super Bowl XLIX champion New England Patriots to the White House on Apr. 23, 2015, and the event was so popular that even players who left the Pats in the offseason — such as Darrelle Revis , Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen — still made the trip. There was one notable figure missing, however. Tom Brady declined to attend due to a prior family commitment. Obama acknowledged and praised the absent quarterback, but also poked fun at the Deflategate controversy, saying, “I usually tell a bunch of jokes at these events, but with the Patriots, I was worried 11 out of the 12 of them would fall flat.”

2015 Duke Blue Devils (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

Another year, another Duke win and another framed jersey for President Obama. The Blue Devils’ visit to the White House on Sept. 8, 2015, looked a lot like their visit back in 2010, except this one took place in the East Room instead of the Rose Garden, and Duke had to beat Wisconsin to get there, rather than Butler. As Obama pointed out, however, even Coach K looked the same as always. “He does look the same — have you noticed?” Obama joked. “There’s like that Dorian Gray mirror thing going on somewhere.” 

2015 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

There were no bunny ears and no one fell off the risers this year, but the Connecticut Huskies women’s basketball team was back in the White House for the third year in a row on Sept. 15, 2015, to celebrate the 63-53 win over Notre Dame — the same team the Huskies beat the previous year. According to President Obama, the Huskies are now “certified to provide White House tours” after their multiple visits. “I was telling folks, this is becoming like the annual Christmas tree lighting,” the president joked.

2015 U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (World Cup)

After 1999, it took 16 years for the U.S. Women’s National Team to win another World Cup, but considering the fact that the tournament only takes place every four years, that’s actually quite impressive. The ladies had to knock off a tough team from Japan to win it but ended up cruising to an easy 5-2 victory in the final. The team was invited to the White House on Oct. 27, 2015, and during the ceremony, the players all posed for a selfie with President Obama. All in all, the USWNT has won the World Cup under Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

2015 Golden State Warriors (NBA)

The Golden State Warriors received the White House treatment from President Obama on Feb. 4, 2016, after defeating the Cavaliers in six games to win the 2015 NBA championship the previous year. Obama’s remarks were especially on-point this day, as he joked about interim head coach Luke Walton not getting credit for his wins (drawing parallels to his own tenure), expressed his disappointment that Steph Curry’s daughter Riley wasn’t present, and of course referred to his beloved 1995-96 Chicago Bulls as the “greatest team in NBA history.”

2015 Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

It’s safe to say the Chicago Blackhawks hoped President Obama’s term would never end. During his eight years in office, Obama oversaw three Stanley Cup victories for the Hawks: 2010, 2013 and 2015, each of which was followed by a trip to the White House. The last one occurred on Feb. 18, 2016, and of course included a number of gifts. The president was given a mini Cup and another jersey, but to ensure he would remain a good luck charm, the POTUS also received a lifetime parking pass to the Blackhawks’ United Center arena.

2015 Alabama Crimson Tide (NCAA Football)

Coach Nick Saban and President Obama are probably sick of each other. The two met for the fourth time on March 2, 2016, squeezing in one more visit before Obama left office. Of course, that wasn’t the reason the two got together; it was to honor the 2015 championship Alabama Crimson Tide football team. The Tide rolled over the top-ranked Clemson Tigers 45-40 on the way to the school’s 16th national title. Of course, in recognition of the achievement and the White House invite, Obama was given a No. 16 ‘Bama jersey and helmet, as well as a commemorative football.

2015 Kansas City Royals (MLB)

The last time the Kansas City Royals won the World Series was 1985, so it was fitting that former Royals star, Hall of Famer and world champion George Brett was on hand to celebrate the team’s 2015 victory at the White House on July 21, 2016. It was also fitting that White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was gifted a custom jersey of his own, in addition to the one given to the president, as Earnest is a Kansas City native and lifelong Royals fan. The former U.S. senator from Kansas, Bob Dole, was also present along with numerous other politicians with ties to the winning city.

2015 Minnesota Lynx (WNBA)

President Obama only had the chance to meet with one more WNBA champion before leaving office, and of course it was the Minnesota Lynx, who fended off the Indiana Fever to win the 2015 title in five games. At the June 27, 2016, ceremony, Obama was given a No. 15 jersey to add to his Minnesota Lynx uniform collection, which already included a No. 13 and a No. 11 from 2013 and 2011, respectively.

2016 UConn Huskies (NCAA Women’s Basketball)

2016 marked four titles in a row, 10 wins in 16 years and one last trip to the White House for the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team. The ceremony took place on May 10, 2016, and it celebrated Connecticut’s 82-51 rout of Syracuse in the final. This would be the last time President Obama would meet with the Huskies, not only because he left office eight months later, but also because the 2017 NCAA Tournament was won by the South Carolina Gamecocks.

2016 Villanova Wildcats (NCAA Men’s Basketball)

Not to be outdone by Duke, who twice brought President Obama a framed jersey after its wins, the 2016 NCAA champion Villanova Wildcats gifted the president  two  framed jerseys — home and away — during their visit to the White House on May 31, 2016. The 77-74 win over UNC was the school’s first title in more than three decades, and Villanova was the last men’s basketball team to visit with Obama before his term ended. Vice President Joe Biden also wanted to attend but instead sent a message. “He wanted me to remind you that he picked Nova to win it all,” Obama said.

2016 Denver Broncos (NFL)

In his last NFL season before retiring, Peyton Manning led the Denver Broncos to victory in Super Bowl 50 by beating the Carolina Panthers , 24-10. The team met with President Obama on June 6, 2016, in what would be his last meeting with an NFL champion before leaving office. Making light of Manning’s accomplishments, Obama referred to him at one point as “this guy from the commercials.” The president was presented with a No. 44 jersey, but the commander-in-chief cracked that he also needed a helmet, as “you get knocked around here in Washington quite a bit.”

2016 Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)

The last NHL team President Obama invited to the White House was also the first way back in 2009. “This is a nice bookend to my presidency,” Obama said of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins during the Oct. 6, 2016, ceremony. “Back in 2009, my hair matched the color of the puck more than the ice,” he joked. “Sid the Kid [Sidney Crosby] was actually a kid. And Geno [ Evgeni Malkin ] was still snapping pictures with his flip phone.” The president also praised Crosby for his leadership skills and compassion, and Obama was later presented with a team jersey and a miniature replica of the Cup.

2016 Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)

After defeating the Golden State Warriors 93-89 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, LeBron James , Kevin Love and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers visited the White House on Nov. 10, 2016. President Obama opened his welcome speech by acknowledging the team’s 52-year title drought, quipping, "That's right. I said ‘world champion’ and ‘Cleveland’ in the same sentence." He also accurately noted that the Cavs were the first team to win the NBA championship by coming back from a 3-1 deficit. 

2016 Chicago Cubs (MLB)

Although President Obama is actually a Chicago White Sox fan, the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs nevertheless pushed up their White House visit to Jan. 16, 2017, in order to meet with the Chicago native before he left office. During the trip, the Cubs presented the president with a No. 44 “Obama” jersey, a custom pair of Air Jordans and a lifetime pass to Wrigley Field. This officially marked the end of Obama’s endless jokes about the Cubs still waiting to win another World Series.

2017 New England Patriots (NFL)

The first team to visit the White House under President Donald Trump was a familiar one. Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots were back in the nation's capital, this time celebrating their fifth Super Bowl win. The fifth ring for Belichick came in historic fashion, with New England overcoming a 28-3 deficit to become the first team to win a Super Bowl in overtime, defeating the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. There were some notable absentees during the Trump visit, including Tom Brady , but it didn't seem to bother Trump, who received his own No. 45 jersey from Robert Kraft.

2017 Clemson Tigers (NCAA Football)

The Clemson Tigers followed the New England Patriots to the White House in 2017, becoming the second team to meet with President Donald Trump in D.C. In a National Championship Game rematch, the Tigers were able to defeat an Alabama team that had beaten them in the final game the year before. It was Dabo Swinney's first title, and quarterback Deshaun Watson put on a remarkable performance, helping him go in the first round of the NFL Draft to the Houston Texans.

More must-reads:

• Which athlete would be the best candidate to run for office?
• Athletes who went into politics after their playing days
• The '100 catches in an NFL season' quiz

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When did championship teams start visiting the White House?

Like literally every other interaction in the Donald Trump presidency, a championship team’s visit to the White House invariably becomes a Political Event, whether because of who’s invited, who’s disinvited, who makes a statement, or what’s on the menu. And like literally every other interaction in the Trump presidency, it wasn’t always like this.

There was a time when a championship team’s visit to the White House followed a standard script: everyone would stand behind the president, who would make a few easy jokes about the coach/the team/the star player. Someone would hand the president a jersey with his name and his presidential number on the back. Everyone would smile for the cameras, and then everyone would go on their way.

Winning teams have visited the White House for at least 150 years, per ESPN , dating back to when President Andrew Johnson feted two amateur baseball clubs, the Brooklyn Atlantics and the familiar-named Washington Nationals. The first pro baseball team to visit the White House? The Cincinnati Red Stockings, who met with President Ulysses S. Grant four years later.

The first NBA champions to visit the White House were the Boston Celtics , who met President Kennedy in 1963. The Indiana men’s basketball team is apparently the first NCAA champion to visit, traveling to Washington to meet President Ford in 1976.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first Super Bowl champions to visit, sharing a bill with the Pittsburgh Pirates to meet President Carter in 1980. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the first Stanley Cup team, visiting the first President Bush in 1991. Earlier, Carter’s successor, Ronald Reagan had opened the White House doors wide to a range of championship teams, making them an annual and expected occurrence.

Under Trump, the White House championship visits have taken on a new, often strange air. Trump deliberately disinvited the Golden State Warriors (who weren’t going to come anyway), then welcomed the Clemson Tigers football team with an array of fast-food options . Most recently, Trump gave Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki one of the more ... interesting embraces you’ll ever see .

Many players make news for opting out of White House visits while Trump is in office, but that’s nothing new; Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are among those who have ducked out of White House visits for various reasons. The Boston Bruins ’ Tim Thomas and the Baltimore Ravens ’ Matt Birk declined to visit President Obama in the White House explicitly because of his politics.

Like so much else in America now , the traditional White House visit is becoming openly political. We’ll have to wait one to five years to see if it ever gets back to the old grip-and-grin days of yore.

Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter or on Facebook .

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Milwaukee Bucks Are First NBA Champions to Visit White House in 5 Years

P resident Joe Biden hosted the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks at the White House on Monday, thanking the team for encouraging coronavirus vaccinations and for protesting the local police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake.

“Last year, as a team, you took a stand for justice and peace” after the shooting, Biden said. The Bucks and other teams boycotted a first-round playoff game to protest after prosecutors in Wisconsin declined to bring charges against the officer who shot Blake in the back, leaving him partly paralyzed.

The Bucks were the first NBA champions to visit the White House in five years, following tension between former President Donald Trump and many of the league’s athletes.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors were disinvited to the celebratory tradition in 2017 after the star said he had no interest in meeting Trump, beginning the streak of no-shows. The Warriors twice declined to see Trump and the Toronto Raptors passed once.

Last year, the Los Angeles Lakers skipped the visit over pandemic safety concerns. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were the last to visit the White House, celebrating with President Barack Obama in 2016.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league won’t force teams to celebrate at the White House, regardless of who’s president.

Biden previously hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the White House to celebrate their mid-pandemic championships.

The Eastern Conference champion Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns in a 4-2 series in July, bringing the Bucks just their second league championship and their first since 1971.

President Biden arrives with Marc Lasry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. pic.twitter.com/osl5S2pk6D — Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) November 8, 2021

One of the team’s majority owners, billionaire hedge fund executive Marc Lasry, may be especially familiar to Biden. The Avenue Capital Management chairman and chief executive is a major Democratic donor who helped secure the 2020 Democratic National Convention for Milwaukee, but the in-person gathering was canceled amid pandemic concerns.

His son Alex Lasry is the team’s senior vice president and one of several Democratic candidates running for the Wisconsin Senate seat currently held by Republican Ron Johnson.

Marc Lasry joked at the White House, “What the hell, why don’t we come back for the next four years. We’ll just keep coming back. You know what? Let’s do it for eight years.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Biden responded.

The team’s other majority owners are Fortress Investment Group Chairman Wes Edens and York Capital Management Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dinan. Michael Fascitelli, the former president and CEO of Vornado Realty Trust, is a major owner with a lesser stake. The group bought the team in 2014 from Biden’s former Senate colleague Herb Kohl, a four-term Wisconsin Democrat who retired in 2013.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has since 2017 owned a 1% stake in the Bucks. A recent positive test for Covid-19 led to the revelation that while he’d claimed to be “immunized” against the virus, he’d not actually been vaccinated.

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Bucks become first NBA champions to visit White House since 2016

The bucks visited president biden and the white house on monday.

The Milwaukee Bucks  visited the White House on Monday to celebrate their NBA championship from the 2020-21 season. With the visit, the Bucks became the first team in the league since 2016 to celebrate their championship at the White House. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. also had the chance to meet with President Joe Biden, who received an honorary Milwaukee Bucks jersey.

A gift for President Joe Biden from the @Bucks . pic.twitter.com/9jNCF1oEA3 — NBA (@NBA) November 8, 2021

The Cleveland Cavaliers , led by LeBron James , visited the White House and celebrated their NBA championship with President Barack Obama while he was still in office in 2016.

But since that Cavs trip, no NBA title team has made the trek to D.C.

• The Golden State Warriors won NBA titles in 2017 and 2018 and chose not to visit President Donald Trump.
• The Toronto Raptors won it all in 2019 and also chose not to visit President Trump.
• The Los Angeles Lakers didn't visit in 2020 after their championship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some highlights from the Bucks' special afternoon:

"Believing in your dreams, you can accomplish great things in life... I'm in the White House - this is awesome!!" pic.twitter.com/LJ4PHPHWeg — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 8, 2021

Brook & Jrue meet the @VP !! pic.twitter.com/cg14eNv5Op — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 8, 2021

“A kid from Arlington sitting at The White House steps…” @pconnaughton puts it all in perspective at The @WhiteHouse . pic.twitter.com/UA89xuWu3L — NBA (@NBA) November 8, 2021

The Antetokounbros feeling presidential at the @WhiteHouse . pic.twitter.com/2EUoxltBbC — Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 8, 2021

“We at The White House, long way from Arkansas…” 2021 NBA Champion @BPortistime takes it all in at The @WhiteHouse . pic.twitter.com/P4Ywj2hJyj — NBA (@NBA) November 8, 2021

The Bucks won their first NBA title last season since 1971 when they defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games during the 2021 NBA Finals. In the clinching game, star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo put together a performance for the ages as he scored 50 points.

The Bucks faced the Washington Wizards on Sunday and will travel to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.

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Why White House visits by champions are a U.S. tradition

— -- University of Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma has a bedroom in the White House.

Wait. What?!

Auriemma and the Huskies have visited the executive residence with such regularity that President Barack Obama apparently suggested making the Hall of Fame coach a tenant.

"He's been in office seven years, and we've been there five," Auriemma said. "He said that I have my own room in the White House. I have my own bedroom in the White House."

Surely, the president was just kidding. We think. But perhaps Auriemma should at least have his own parking spot.

The University of Alabama football team is scheduled to visit the White House on Wednesday, marking its fourth trip to Washington in seven years. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban also visited in March 2004 with his LSU Tigers championship team.

But few, if any, sports figures have visited the White House as often as Auriemma. He has guided UConn to 10 NCAA national championships, and the team has visited the White House after nine of them. (Scheduling issues prevented the team from attending in 2000.) This season, the Huskies are 29-0 and well positioned for their fourth consecutive title and another trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Obama and the two presidents who preceded him are avid sports fans, and Auriemma has a story about each of them.

On Bill Clinton: "He got his picture taken individually with every single person in the travel party. It was unbelievable."

On George W. Bush: "He's got a daughter named Jenna, and so do I. I said, 'Hey, raising a 16-year-old daughter is a lot harder than being president, isn't it?' He just turned around and said, 'You got that right.'"

On Obama: "He loves the game. He loves the kids and what they represent and makes it a point all the time to talk about the players and what they mean to his daughters as role models."

So as the Crimson Tide again heads to Washington, let's look back on some of the history and wacky moments of sports teams visiting the White House over the years:

Back in the day

The tradition of sports teams visiting the White House dates to at least Aug. 30, 1865, when President Andrew Johnson welcomed the Brooklyn Atlantics and Washington Nationals amateur baseball clubs. Ulysses S. Grant played host to the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, in 1869. The first World Series championship team feted at the White House is believed to be the 1924 Washington Senators, who visited Calvin Coolidge at the executive residence the following year.

John F. Kennedy was the first president to welcome the NBA champions, when the Boston Celtics visited in January 1963, and the Indiana University men's basketball team is believed to be the first NCAA champion to visit the White House when it was hosted by Gerald Ford in April 1976.

The first Super Bowl champion to visit was the Pittsburgh Steelers , who joined the World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates in a dual ceremony with Jimmy Carter in February 1980.

It was Ronald Reagan, however, who made the practice of honoring championship teams at the White House a regular occurrence. Reagan had a cooler full of popcorn dumped on him by New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson, evoking the team's famous Gatorade celebration, in February 1987. The following year, Reagan threw a pass to Washington wide receiver Ricky Sanders .

The Pittsburgh Penguins became the first Stanley Cup champion to visit when they met George H.W. Bush in June 1991.

These days, about a dozen professional, U.S. national and major college teams visit the White House each year. Obama has also continued a tradition started by George W. Bush in honoring each of the other NCAA Division I championship teams in one large annual ceremony. Many teams perform community service as part of their Washington visit. The Baltimore Ravens provided equipment to area high schools. The San Antonio Spurs met with wounded military members. The U.S. women's soccer team held a youth clinic to promote fitness.

"When these sports teams come to the White House to honor their championship, we also honor them for their work in the community," White House spokesman Frank Benenati said. "And in each speech marking a championship, the president has mentioned their community work. ... [Arranging] the president's schedule is extremely difficult, of course, but we believe it is important to honor teams for the work they're doing on and off the court in their communities."

In addition to UConn women's basketball and Alabama football, a few other teams have made themselves regulars at the White House in recent years. The San Francisco Giants , Chicago Blackhawks and Jimmie Johnson 's NASCAR team each have visited three times during Obama's time in office.

A few who didn't make the trip

A number of sports figures have skipped visits to the White House over the years. Some notable instances:

• Larry Bird: Larry Legend didn't attend when the Boston Celtics visited Reagan at the White House a day after winning the decisive Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June 1984. He later told a reporter that the president knew where to find him.
• Michael Jordan : His Airness didn't join his Chicago Bulls teammates in visiting George H.W. Bush at the White House in October 1991 to celebrate the franchise's first NBA championship. Jordan played golf at Hilton Head, South Carolina, that day instead.
• James Harrison : The Steelers linebacker has twice missed visits to the White House after Super Bowl victories -- once in June 2006, when George W. Bush was in office, the other in May 2009, during Obama's first year in office. "This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers , invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl," Harrison said at the time. "As far as I'm concerned, [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, however, reported that Harrison's fear of flying might have been the reason for his absence.
• Tim Thomas : The Boston Bruins goaltender passed on the opportunity to visit Obama at the White House with the Stanley Cup champions in January 2012 and explained himself in a terse Facebook post. Wrote Thomas, "I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People. ... This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country."
• Matt Birk: After the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII, the Harvard-educated center declined to attend the team's White House ceremony in June 2013 because he disagreed with Obama's support for Planned Parenthood.

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Why Do Sports Teams Visit the White House?

Here’s the thing about the pilgrimages that championship sports teams make to the White House each year. It’s a tradition rooted in efforts to achieve national unity. Like the broader American project, at their best these visits promote an expansive vision of America, a diverse society finding commonality in shared symbols and common rituals.

But the first such visit was rooted in a very different vision of American society—uniting white Americans by excluding blacks from sports, from civic rituals, and from political equality. As President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from the White House on Monday, he loudly insisted that he still wished “to honor our great country” and “celebrate America.” His statement did not specify, though, which version of America he intended to celebrate.

In 1865, the United States was engaged in the project of Reconstruction, building a new society in the wake of the Civil War. It was also engaged in playing ball. Union soldiers brought home with them a passion for the American game, and fans flocked to ballfields to enjoy the pleasures of peacetime.

Baseball teams proliferated. Black squads and white squads used the same fields in many cities, fans mingling freely. In Washington, the prime spot was the White Lot, on the grounds of the executive mansion. And in August, it hosted an extraordinary three-team tournament, pitting the Atlantic from Brooklyn and the Athletic from Philadelphia against Washington’s own Nationals.

These games took place against a backdrop of profound uncertainty. It remained unclear what form the reconstructed nation would take. A constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, ratified by the northern states, remained stalled—waiting for southern states to take it up.

President Andrew Johnson, himself a southerner, was pushing for a rapid restoration of the Union as it was before the war. “The people must be trusted with their government,” he wrote the day of the first game. But he had a particular vision of what that meant. “This is a country for white men, and by G-d, so long as I am president, it shall be a government for white men,” he told the governor of Missouri, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported at the time.

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LSU Women's Basketball Team Visits the White House to Celebrate Their NCAA Championship

The visit came after public back-and-forth about whether the team would accept the Bidens' invite

SAMUEL CORUM/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 

After weeks of public back-and-forth, the LSU women's basketball team visited the White House today to celebrate their recent NCAA championship win.

The team arrived at the White House in the afternoon for a special ceremony with President Joe Biden , first lady Dr. Jill Biden , Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, where the president praised the team and pushed for more of a focus on women's sports.

“Folks, we need to support women’s sports not just during championship runs but the entire year, and every season,” President Biden said.

He also joked that head coach Kim Mulkey, who earned her third NCAA championship with the win in April, was becoming a frequent White House visitor.

Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

"Isn't this getting old to you?" President Biden teased.

The ceremony, though, was briefly halted when LSU's Sa'Myah Smith fainted as the team gathered on stage. She was quickly attended to by medical personnel, and Mulkey said that Smith was "fine" and mostly just "embarrassed."

The visit came after star player Angel Reese , 20, said in April that her winning team would not accept the Bidens' invite to the White House. (She later changed her tune.)

Reese initially declined the invite because she was upset that Dr. Biden suggested that both women's teams from the NCAA Tournament final -- the Louisiana State University Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes in Dallas -- should come to D.C.

"So I know we'll have the champions come to the White House, we always do," Jill, 71, said at the time, per CNN . "So, we hope LSU will come but, you know, I'm going to tell Joe [Biden] I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game," she added.

Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI/Shutterstock

"In the beginning, we were hurt — it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything," Reese said in an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter , about why she first snubbed Biden's invite.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"You don't get that experience [to go to the White House] ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that, so I'm going to do what's best for the team, and we've decided we're going to go," she added. "I'm a team player. I'm going to do what's best for the team. I'm the captain."

Traditionally, only the national champions receive an invitation to the White House. If Iowa had also received an official invitation, it would have been the first time both title game teams were offered the opportunity.

After hearing about Biden's dual invitation, Reese retweeted a story about it and called it "A JOKE," with three laughing emojis.

"It bothers me because you're a woman at the end of the day, and you're supposed to be standing behind us before anything," Reese said of the incident on the  I Am Athlete  podcast . "So, it's hard to see things like that and not comment back on it."

The suggestion to invite both teams may have had good intentions, but the idea came just one day after Reese became the subject of harsh, racially-tinged online criticism.

Reese dealt with attacks on Twitter after the broadcast showed her taunting Iowa's Caitlin Clark with the "you can't see me" hand gesture made popular by wrestler John Cena, which Clark had done herself earlier in the tournament.

During her postgame press conference, the NCAA champion said, "All year I was critiqued about who I was. I don't fit the narrative. I don't fit in the box that you all want me to be in. I'm too hood, I'm too ghetto. You told me that all year. But when other people do it, y'all don't say nothing."

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Sports no sure respite from politics when title-winning athletes visit the White House

President Calvin Coolidge signs a baseball for Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson as other members of the Senators look on in 1924. (Library of Congress via AP)

FILE - President Calvin Coolidge throws out the ball for the opening game of the 1924 World Series between the Washington Senators and the New York Giants in Washington, Oct. 4, 1924. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - President Barack Obama holds a Baltimore Ravens football jersey with head coach John Harbaugh, second from right, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, June 5, 2013, where the president honored the Super Bowl XLVII champs. Front row, from left are, retired linebacker Ray Lewis, former safety Ed Reed, running back Ray Rice, team President Richard W. Cass, the president and Harbaugh. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE - Air Force quarterback Haaziq Daniels, left, and Air Force running back Brad Roberts, right, look on as President Joe Biden holds a football during an event to present the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy to the Air Force Academy in the East Room of the White House, Friday, April 28, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors players, coaches and owners pose for photos after Game 5 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2017. The Warriors won 129-120 to win the NBA championship. When the Golden State Warriors suggested they would spurn a White House visit after winning the national basketball championship, Trump announced that the invitation was being withdrawn. Some of the players instead visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture with local students.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, front left, stands with pitchers Brusdar Graterol, front center, and Joe Kelly, right, at an event to honor the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team at the White House, Friday, July 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

FILE - LSU’s Angel Reese during the second half of the NCAA Women’s Final Four championship basketball game against Iowa Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Dallas. After the Tigers won the championship earlier this year, first lady Jill Biden made an offhand suggestion that a second invitation should also be extended to the team they defeated, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. “At the beginning we were hurt. It was emotional for us,” Reese told ESPN in a subsequent interview. “Because we know how hard we worked all year for everything.” (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

FILE - LSU head coach Kim Mulkey holds the winning trophy after the NCAA Women’s Final Four championship basketball game against Iowa Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Dallas. LSU won 102-85 to win the championship. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

FILE - Tom Lehman of Alexandria, Minn., follows his drive on the 18th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, June 15, 1996, at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Lehman, a professional golfer, declined a White House invitation from President Bill Clinton. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

FILE - President Ronald Reagan prepares to throw a football to Washington Redskins’ receiver Ricky Sanders during ceremonies honoring the Super Bowl XXII champions at the White House in Washington, Feb. 4, 1988. The ball was presented to the president by quarterback Doug Williams. The Redskins defeated the Denver Broncos 42-10, at Jack Murphy stadium in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, File)

FILE - President Clinton throws a basketball presented to him by the Texas Tech Lady Raiders as University of North Carolina head basketball coach Dean Smith speaks during a Rose Garden Ceremony on Tuesday, April 28, 1993, in Washington honoring the two Championship basketball teams. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, File)

FILE - President John F. Kennedy winds up to throw out the first pitch to inaugurate the 1962 American League baseball season and DC Stadium in Washington in this April 9, 1962 file photo. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - President George W. Bush laughs as he gets a jersey from members of the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils NHL hockey team on Sept. 29, 2003 at the White House in Washington. Bush welcomed the Stanley Cup champions in the Rose Garden of the White House. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - President Bill Clinton and Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, where the president honored the Super Bowl XXXII champions, June 16, 1998. (AP Photo/Greg Gibson, File)

FILE - In this 1916 file photo, President Woodrow Wilson throws out the first ball at a baseball game in Washington. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - President Donald Trump, flanked by New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, left, and owner Robert Kraft, holds a New England Patriots football helmet and jersey during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, April 19, 2017, where he honored the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots for their Super Bowl LI victory. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - President George H.W. Bush gives Toronto Blue Jays Manager Cito Gaston his Yale University baseball card during a ceremony at the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1992, in Washington honoring the baseball’s World Champions Toronto Blue Jays. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook, File)

FILE - President Barack Obama heads a soccer ball as he walks to The Oval Office after a ceremony with members of the Columbus Crew soccer team in the Rose Garden at The White House in Washington Monday, July 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - President Franklin Roosevelt throws a ceremonial pitch marking the opening of the baseball season in a game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at Washington, April 14, 1941. With the President are, left to right are: Rudolph Foster of the White House Staff; Harry L. Hopkins (rear); Col. Harry Hooker; Mary Ann Gray Orlando, Fla., Stephen Early, presidential secretary; President Roosevelt; Maj. Gen. Edwin M. Watson; W. W. Richardson, official of the Washington Baseball Club. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - John Thompson, basketball coach at Georgetown University, towers over President Gerald Ford and Jesse Owens during a reception at the White House in Washington on Aug. 5, 1976, for members of the United States Olympic team. Thompson served as an assistant coach on the gold medal-winning U.S. basketball team. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - President Jimmy Carter holds a basketball presented to him by members of the University of Louisville basketball team at the White House in Washington on April 3, 1980. From left: President Carter; Darrel Griffith; Rep. Romana Mazzoli, D-Ky.; Derrick Smith; Wylie Brown and Darryl Cleveland. The NCAA Champs paid a visit to the White House after attending luncheon in their honor at Capitol Hill which was hosted by the Kentucky Congressional Delegation. (AP Photo/Mark Wilson, File)

FILE - President Dwight D. Eisenhower looks at the Little League Championship Baseball trophy won by the Monterrey, Mexico, team on Aug 27, 1957, in Washington. The young ball players were accompanied to the White House by Mexican Ambassador Manuel Tello, right, and other embassy officials. Angel Macias holds the trophy. (AP Photo/Bill Allen, File)

FILE - President Richard Nixon looks at the trophy brought to the White House, in Washington, Feb. 11, 1969, by the U.S. Davis Cup Tennis Team. The team members with Nixon are, from left: Arthur Ashe, Clark Grachner, Donald Bell and Bob Lutz. They were luncheon guests of Nixon. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - President Herbert Hoover stands with Rep. Albert Edward Carter of Calif., and the University of California football team at the White House in Washington on Dec. 28, 1931, after the team defeated Georgia Tech at Atlanta. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Boston Celtics’ Dennis Johnson, right, presents President Reagan with an autographed ball during a team visit to the White House on June 13, 1984. Coach K.C. Jones, left, and General Manager Red Auerbach look on. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Calvin Coolidge wasn’t as big a baseball fan as his wife, Grace. But even Silent Cal got swept up in the excitement of the Washington Senators’ unexpectedly successful season in 1924. After the team clinched the American League pennant, the players swung by the White House to shake hands and pose for pictures with Coolidge.

It was the beginning of what would eventually become a tradition of victorious athletes visiting the president, and it’ll continue on Friday when Joe Biden hosts the championship men’s and women’s college basketball teams .

But what started as a nonpartisan rite of passage has become increasingly tangled up in politics , a shift that some peg to Bill Clinton’s presidency.

Tom Lehman, a professional golfer, declined a White House invitation and described Clinton as “a draft dodging baby killer.”

“That’s really when it started,” said Fred Frommer, a former Associated Press journalist who has written about the history of sports and politics.

There were scattered protests after that — a member of the Baltimore Ravens, for example, refused to visit with the rest of his football team because President Barack Obama supported abortion rights — but clashes proliferated under President Donald Trump.

When members of the Golden State Warriors suggested they would spurn a White House visit after winning the NBA title, Trump announced that the invitation was being withdrawn. Some of the players instead visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture with local students.

More and more athletes started facing questions about whether they were willing to visit the White House. Frommer, who wrote “You Gotta Have Heart,” a book about Washington and baseball, said trips became “a bit of a litmus test.”

Biden, who has promised to turn down the temperature in Washington, has largely avoided such clashes. But sparks flew in preparation for Friday’s visit with the women’s team from Louisiana State.

After the Tigers won the NCAA championship this year, first lady Jill Biden made an offhand suggestion that a second invitation should also be extended to the team they defeated, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would rather visit with Obama and his wife, Michelle. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

“At the beginning we were hurt. It was emotional for us,” Reese told ESPN in a subsequent interview. “Because we know how hard we worked all year for everything.”

Nothing came of the first lady’s idea, and only the Tigers were invited (and only champion Connecticut on the men’s side) Reese ultimately said she wasn’t going to skip the White House visit.

“I’m a team player,” Reese said. “I’m going to do what’s best for the team.”

While Reese didn’t turn down the invitation, another group of champions will be skipping the White House altogether. Georgia’s football team said it could not make it next month because of a scheduling conflict.

Coach Kirby Smart insisted that the decision had nothing to do with politics, saying the invitation conflicted with hosting a youth camp around the same time.

But who attends and who doesn’t is closely watched in the country’s charged political atmosphere.

“Sports are politics by other means,” said Jules Boykoff, a political science professor at Pacific University in Oregon. “Sometimes it’s very obvious, and sometimes it’s buried beneath the surface.”

The politicization of White House visits has overlapped with what Boykoff describes as the “athlete empowerment era.” At a time when the country has experienced sweeping social movements, such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, athletes feel more confident using their platforms to share political messages, and they can use social media as a bullhorn.

“We’re in a new era now,” he said.

Boykoff said White House events were once considered a “family friendly photo opportunity,” offerin presidents a chance to show their lighter side. But given the country’s hyperpolarization, he said, the tradition may eventually run its course. And athletes may want the platform for themselves.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if they show up at the White House and have something to say, maybe even interrupt the proceedings,” he said.

Most of these visits have been memorable for more playful moments.

Harry Carson of the NFL’s New York Giants dumped a bucket of popcorn on President Ronald Reagan’s head in 1987, mimicking their tradition of dousing the coach with a Gatorade bucket after a win.

In 2021, Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Joe Kelly showed up at the White House in a mariachi jacket that he got off a musician.

And just last month, Biden was presented with a helmet by the Air Force Academy’s football team. The president chuckled.

With his job, he said, “I may need that helmet.”

Associated Press news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

Championship teams visiting the White House has turned into a mess — here is how Trump and the teams have wrecked the tradition

• In the first two-plus years of President Donald Trump's administration, 20 major sports teams have won championships, but only 10 celebrated at the White House.
• Trump did not invite many of the teams, and some of those made it clear that they would not have attended even if he had.
• Of the teams that did go to the White House, many of the ceremonies made headlines for either how the players or Trump handled the trip.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The tradition of championship teams visiting the White House took another ugly turn when U.S. Women's National Team captain Megan Rapinoe said she's "not going to the f------ White House," if they win the World Cup, and President Donald Trump responded by saying she should "win before she talks."

Read more : Donald Trump says US women's soccer team captain Megan Rapinoe should 'win before she talks' after she shut down a potential visit to the White House

In a little over two years since Trump took office, 20 teams in major sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, WNBA, college football, men's and women's college basketball) have won championships, and during that time, the long-standing tradition of title-winners visiting the White House has turned into a bit of a circus.

Half of the 20 teams were either not invited or declined the invitation for varying reasons. The ceremonies for the other half either raised eyebrows or were marred by various reasons including the absence of notable players.

Below we take a look at every championship team that did not go to the White House and the circumstances that surrounded those that did.

2016 Clemson Tigers — college football champions

Invited to White House? Yes

Attended White House ceremony? Yes

One thing to know: Before the visit, head coach Dabo Swinney was asked if his team would go to the White House : "Absolutely. I don't care who's in the White House. An opportunity to visit the White House is a special privilege. Put all of the political stuff aside, this is a unique experience for everyone involved."

2016 New England Patriots — Super Bowl champions

One thing to know: Half of the players did not attend the ceremony, including Tom Brady. At least five players cited objections to Trump as their reason for not participating.

Source: Boston.com

2016-17 North Carolina Tar Heels — men's college basketball champions

Attended White House ceremony? No

One thing to know: UNC head coach Roy Williams had been critical of Trump and when asked after winning the title if the team would go, answered, " Let me think on it. " The team was eventually invited but cited scheduling conflicts in declining the invitation.

Source: USA Today

2016-17 South Carolina Gamecocks — women's college basketball champions

Invited to White House? No

One thing to know: Head coach Dawn Staley initially said the team would go, saying, "it's what national champions do." South Carolina was the first women's hoops champs not to be invited in 34 years.

Source: TheState.com

Jimmie Johnson — 2016 NASCAR champion

One thing to know: It has been reported that Johnson did not visit the White House after Trump took office due to scheduling conflicts on both sides . Previously, NASCAR said Johnson was never invited  but said that was not unusual because of the transition from one administration to another. 

2016-17 Golden State Warriors — NBA champions

One thing to know: Steve Kerr reportedly decided months before the playoffs that he would not go to the White House if the team won. Stephen Curry later said he "wouldn't go," but said he wanted to talk to his teammates before making a final decision. Kerr later added that he wanted the team to consider going and the positive ramifications that could come out of it. After Curry's comments, Trump tweeted, " invitation is withdrawn!" LeBron James then famously called the president a "bum" for withdrawing an invite after Curry already said he wasn't going.

Read more: Trump attacks Stephen Curry, disinvites the Golden State Warriors from the White House in early morning tweet

2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins — NHL champions

One thing to know: The Penguins were noticeably quiet about their trip to the White House, not sharing any photos of the event on social media. That was in stark contrast to the year before when they visited the Obama White House.

Read more: The Pittsburgh Penguins were eerily quiet about their visit to Trump's White House

2017 Minnesota Lynx — WNBA champions

One thing to know: Trump did not invite the Lynx, and head coach and general manager Cheryl Reeve said: " that has certainly been disappointing. " They visited the White House three times during the Obama administration following championships. The team chose to spend their next trip to D.C. handing out shoes to low-income children.

2017 Houston Astros — World Series champions

One thing to know: Stars Carlos Correa and Carlos Beltran skipped the trip. The ceremony made headlines when AL MVP Jose Altuve seemingly glared at Trump throughout much of the function. 

Read more: Jose Altuve had an awkward day with Trump while the Astros visited the White House — and the images are amazing

2017 various non-revenue college championship teams

One thing to know: While not one of the major sports, Trump hosted 18 championship teams at the White House from non-revenue sports such as rowing, equestrian, skiing, wrestling, softball, and volleyball.

Read more: Trump hosted 18 NCAA championship-winning teams to celebrate their titles — and the photos were great

2017 Alabama Crimson Tide — college football champions

One thing to know: Only one player missed the trip to the White House as head coach Nick Saban made the trip a requirement. The mandate was given to the team during a team meeting that was later recalled by one of the players: " Coach Saban addressed it and just said, 'Hey, we're doing this regardless of your political thoughts. We're going, just to celebrate this team. It's an honor. And just to be able to say that you've gone to the White House is something that you can cherish forever.' So that was basically the extent of that."

Source: AL.com

2017 Philadelphia Eagles — Super Bowl champions

Invited to White House? Yes, but later disinvited

One thing to know: Trump disinvited the Eagles after reports indicated that as few as two or three players would attend the ceremony. The mayor of Philadelphia then called Trump "a fragile egomaniac obsessed with crowd size." The White House instead hosted a ceremony for "Eagles fans" to celebrate the American flag. When most of the 1,000 fans showed up in business suits and only one Eagles jersey was observed, many speculated that the event was staged.

Read more: There is mounting speculation that the White House ceremony for Eagles fans did not have any Eagles fans

2017-18 Villanova Wildcats — men's college basketball champions

One thing to know: The Wildcats were not invited to the White House. The team previously visited the Obama White House following their 2016 championship. Head coach Jay Wright called that trip " the experience of a lifetime for all of us. "

2017-18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish — women's college basketball champions

One thing to know: Head coach Muffet McGraw would not commit to a White House visit when asked after winning the championship. She said, " we'll discuss it with the team and make a decision if the offer is extended. " The offer never came. 

Martin Truex Jr — 2017 NASCAR champion

One thing to know: Truex was the first NASCAR champion to visit the Trump White House and presented the president with a helmet.

2017-18 Golden State Warriors — NBA champions

One thing to know: During the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James said neither team wanted to visit the White House . Not surprisingly, no invitation was extended. During the team's next trip to D.C., the Warriors met with Obama instead . 

2017-18 Washington Capitals — NHL champions

One thing to know: Several players skipped the trip, with star goalie Braden Holtby saying he wished "to stay true to my values." There was no official ceremony or media availability during the visit. 

Source: CNN.com

2018 Seattle Storm — WNBA champions

One thing to know: The Storm were not invited, but would have likely rejected the invitation if one had come. Star Sue Bird said: " It doesn't feel exciting. Nobody wants to go. It's totally changed and that's disappointing because it used to be something that most athletes looked forward to."

Source: Seattle Times

2018 Boston Red Sox — World Series champions

One thing to know: The Red Sox were supposed to visit the White House in February, but the trip was postponed due to the government shutdown. At least eight players did not attend the make-up date, including Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., and David Price. Manager Alex Cora, who is from Puerto Rico and was critical of Trump after Hurricane Maria, also skipped the ceremony, saying he does " not feel comfortable celebrating in the White House. "

Source: NECN.com ; Britni de la Cretaz

2018 Clemson Tigers — college football champions

One thing to know: With the White House on a reduced staff during the government shutdown, Trump famously served the Clemson football team fast food, including Wendy's, McDonald's, and Burger King.

Read more: Trump greets Clemson Tigers with fast-food buffet of Wendy's, McDonald's, and Burger King as they celebrate their national championship

2018 North Dakota State Bison — FCS college football champions

One thing to know: North Dakota State was the first FCS champion to go to the White House since Bill Clinton invited Youngstown State in 1995. Like Clemson, they were served fast food.

Read more: Trump serves another college football team a fast-food feast to celebrate championship

2018 New England Patriots — Super Bowl champions

Attended White House ceremony? Expected to attend

One thing to know: No date has been set for a Patriots visit, but after winning the Super Bowl, Trump said, "I'm sure they'll be back." Tom Brady was asked if he would attend the ceremony this year, but deflected the question, saying, " Next question, I mean, god, " while shaking his head. 

2018-19 Virginia Cavaliers — men's college basketball champions

One thing to know: It is unknown if Trump would have invited UVA, but head coach Tony Bennett already said the team would not visit the White House, explaining that it would be " difficult, if not impossible to get everyone back together. "

2018-19 Baylor Bears — women's college basketball champions

One thing to know: Baylor was the first women's team to get their own ceremony at the Trump White House to celebrate a championship. The team was also served fast food in what appears to be a new tradition, at least for college teams.

Read more: Trump served another college championship team fast food in what is becoming a new White House tradition

Joey Logano — 2018 NASCAR champion

One thing to know: With Joey Logano's car nearby, Logano presented Trump with a race helmet and a miniature replica of the NASCAR championship trophy. The event was live-streamed, and Trump invited Logano and his crew up for a personal tour of the "very special" Lincoln Bedroom . 

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Which America Is Trump Celebrating?

The president’s patriotic pageant renews a question dating back to the first White House visit by a champion sports team.

Here’s the thing about the pilgrimages that championship sports teams make to the White House each year. It’s a tradition rooted in efforts to achieve national unity. Like the broader American project, at their best these visits promote an expansive vision of America, a diverse society finding commonality in shared symbols and common rituals.

But the first such visit was rooted in a very different vision of American society—uniting white Americans by excluding blacks from sports, from civic rituals, and from political equality. As President Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from the White House on Monday, he loudly insisted that he still wished “to honor our great country” and “celebrate America.” His statement did not specify, though, which version of America he intended to celebrate.

In 1865, the United States was engaged in the project of Reconstruction, building a new society in the wake of the Civil War. It was also engaged in playing ball. Union soldiers brought home with them a passion for the American game, and fans flocked to ballfields to enjoy the pleasures of peacetime.

Baseball teams proliferated. Black squads and white squads used the same fields in many cities, fans mingling freely. In Washington, the prime spot was the White Lot, on the grounds of the executive mansion. And in August, it hosted an extraordinary three-team tournament, pitting the Atlantic from Brooklyn and the Athletic from Philadelphia against Washington’s own Nationals.

These games took place against a backdrop of profound uncertainty. It remained unclear what form the reconstructed nation would take. A constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, ratified by the northern states, remained stalled—waiting for southern states to take it up. President Andrew Johnson, himself a southerner, was pushing for a rapid restoration of the Union as it was before the war. “The people must be trusted with their government,” he wrote the day of the first game. But he had a particular vision of what that meant. “This is a country for white men, and by G-d, so long as I am president, it shall be a government for white men,” he told the governor of Missouri, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported at the time.

The games riveted the federal city. The stands were generously sprinkled with the stars of general officers, and tinged blue with their staffs. Thousands of Washingtonians, and at least two members of the Cabinet, turned out to watch the Athletic trounce the hometown club, 87–12. The following day brought a crowd that may have numbered 20,000. The president, one participant later recalled, “permitted the government employees to suspend work and join the throng on the White Lot.” This time, the Nationals posted a more credible tally of 19 runs and kept their lead into the seventh inning. But, dear reader, it will surprise you not to learn that it was the Atlantic that prevailed—posting 22 runs in the final two frames. “The Atlantic Victorious,” proclaimed the next day’s paper.

The Athletic had made a visit to Congress and the White House before the tournament kicked off, but the president had not been available to meet with them. But on August 30, the host Nationals took the newly crowned champions to meet Andrew Johnson. One by one, the Atlantic players filed in, were introduced to the president, and shook his hand.

The last to be introduced was a reporter, not a player. The New York Times ’ Henry Chadwick—often described as the “Father of Baseball”—stepped forward. He urged Johnson to meet with another club set to visit the following month, for “such countenance of the game would give a national stamp to it.”

This, of course, was the whole point; national unity through baseball. The White House visit that day had been arranged by the ambitious young president of the National club, Arthur Pue Gorman. He was a political client of Johnson’s, who had arranged for his patronage appointment as postmaster of the Senate. Like Johnson, Gorman identified as a conservative, white southerner who favored restoring the Union as it had been, not trying to make it more perfect. He saw baseball as a tool to accomplish that goal; the White House visit he arranged provided a presidential imprimatur to that project.

In 1867, Gorman was elected president of the National Association of Base Ball Players, one of the sport’s first governing bodies. Gorman’s installation, the Ball Player’s Chronicle , was an effort to demonstrate that “sectional prejudices did not rule the fraternity of the North.” The installation of a white southerner was an explicit invitation, an effort to reconcile on southern terms, and to enshrine baseball as a national game—a game for a reunited nation. But if sectional prejudices did not rule baseball, it was because racial prejudices did.

It’s a story brilliantly recounted in Ryan Swanson’s When Baseball Went White . During Gorman’s tenure, the organization’s annual convention considered the question of race. “If colored clubs were admitted,” argued the NABBP’s secretary, “there would be in all probability some division of feeling, whereas, by excluding them no injury could result to anybody , and the possibility of any rupture being created on political grounds would be avoided.” Chadwick said the aim was to “keep out of the convention any subject having a political bearing, as this undoubtedly had.” The convention ratified a bar on any club with one or more persons of color—one of the nation’s very first Jim Crow rules. The galleries hissed, and an animated Gorman threatened to have them cleared.

To keep the game apolitical meant keeping it exclusionary; mollifying disagreements among white members required excluding blacks entirely. No injury could result to anybody , they argued, relegating the excluded to the status of nobodies.

Having done his part to segregate baseball, Gorman joined the effort to segregate the nation. He was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Bourbon Democrat, intent on rolling back the halting racial progress made during Reconstruction. “We have determined that this government was made by white men and shall be ruled by white men as long as the republic lasts,” he thundered, echoing his political mentor. He made his name opposing protections for black voters in the South, and with a major push to systematically disenfranchise black voters in Maryland.

American sports, meanwhile, would remain segregated for generations—as White House visits increased in frequency. And then, as courageous players like Jackie Robinson integrated America’s professional leagues, the White House visits began to take on a different layer of meaning. They increased in frequency. The first Super Bowl champions were welcomed by Jimmy Carter in 1980, and Ronald Reagan regularized the ritual. The athletes—almost invariably more diverse in ethnicity and experience than either the White House staff or press corps hovering around them—were honored by a succession of presidents, celebrating what Americans could accomplish by working together.

At least, until now. Andrew Johnson’s latest successor in office appears determined to reverse that approach to sports. Like Chadwick, Trump insists that racial inclusivity is a political act; like Gorman, he divides and excludes even as he loudly insists that he is uniting the country; like the NABBP, he seems oblivious to those he harms.

Many of the Eagles players had reportedly decided on their own to withdraw from the visit even before Trump canceled it.  In its place, Trump ordered up a performative pageant of patriotism, with brass bands playing on the White House lawn—just as they did in August of 1865.

And then, as today, the question lingers in the air: When the fighting is done, and the dust settles, what sort of nation do we intend to reconstruct?

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Las Vegas Aces to visit White House to celebrate 2023 WNBA title

President Joe Biden will welcome the Las Vegas Aces to the White House on May 9 to celebrate their championship season, according to the White House.

The Las Vegas Aces will visit the White House again to celebrate its record season and victory in the 2023 WNBA Finals.

President Joe Biden will welcome the team to the White House on May 9 to celebrate their season, according to the White House.

In August 2023, the Aces went to the White House to celebrate their 2022 WNBA Championship victory with Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff.

That was a “special moment for our entire organization, and an amazing experience for all of our front office personnel, coaches and players who put so much work into bringing Las Vegas its first professional sports championship,” Aces President Nikki Fargas said in a statement.

“To receive a second invitation following back-to-back titles is an even bigger thrill,” Fargas said. “We look forward to meeting both President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, and once again spending time with the vice president and second gentleman in our nation’s capital.”

The Aces won two WNBA championships back to back, and when their 40-game regular season begins May 14, they’re attempting to become the first WNBA team to win three straight titles since the Houston Comets won four from 1997 to 2000.

Contact Jessica Hill at [email protected]. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.

One of the Aces most well-known players announced her retirement Sunday morning before the team’s first practice together.

A documentary called “Aces vs. Everybody” featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the team’s 2023 WNBA championship season will premiere on Fox.

After just over a year, former Raiders tight end Darren Waller and Aces guard Kelsey Plum have called it quits on their marriage.

Former NFL star Tom Brady, a minority owner of the Las Vegas Aces, wrote the entry in Time magazine explaining A’ja Wilson’s inclusion on the most influential list.

Whether they’re relocation or expansion teams, adding new pro teams to Las Vegas takes hard work by owners, Oak View Group Las Vegas president Marc Badain said.

The Las Vegas Aces picked up four players in the WNBA draft in Brooklyn as they seek to win their third straight championship this season.

Caitlin Clark is expected to steal the show at the 2024 WNBA draft Monday. But the Aces have four picks to round out their roster as they pursue another title.

The Las Vegas Aces announced that the team’s July 2 game against the Indiana Fever has been moved to T-Mobile Arena.

The Raider Image will offer Raiders, Aces and UNLV gear at deep discounts next week as part of its third annual warehouse sale.

The two-time defending WNBA champions can add another accomplishment to their resume. The Aces are the first team in league history to sell out their season tickets.

WNBA champion Aces to visit White House May 9

The Las Vegas Aces will visit the White House on May 9 to celebrate their 2023 WNBA championship, the White House confirmed Friday.

The Aces will be hosted by President Joe Biden. The Aces also went to the White House in August in commemoration of their 2022 WNBA title. On that visit, the team was hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris, as Biden was then on vacation with his family. The vice president and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are also expected to attend this year's ceremony for the Aces.

The Aces finished 34-6 last season and became the first franchise to repeat as WNBA champion since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02. The Aces defeated the New York Liberty 3-1 in a best-of-five series, and A'ja Wilson was named the WNBA Finals MVP.

The Aces will stay on the East Coast to play a preseason exhibition game May 11 vs. the Puerto Rico national team at South Carolina's Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. Wilson starred for South Carolina from 2014 to 2018, leading the Gamecocks to the 2017 NCAA championship. She was the 2018 No. 1 draft pick by Las Vegas and is a two-time WNBA MVP.

The Aces start their 2024 WNBA season May 14 vs. the Phoenix Mercury in Las Vegas.

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Judge fines Trump $9K for violating gag order as testimony continues in N.Y. hush money trial

Turkey's erdogan postpones tentative white house visit, sources say.

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

By Steve Holland and Jonathan Spicer

WASHINGTON/ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a White House meeting with President Joe Biden , a source familiar with the situation and a Turkish official said on Friday of a visit that had been tentatively planned for May 9.

A White House spokesperson, while not confirming the May 9 date, said: “We look forward to hosting President Erdogan at the White House at a mutually convenient time, but we have not been able to align our schedules and do not have any visit to announce at this time."

A new date will soon be set due to a change in Erdogan's schedule, the Turkish official said, requesting anonymity. The source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear what prompted the postponement.

The White House never formally announced the visit but a U.S. official told Reuters in late March that following Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's visit to Washington, the White House offered and Ankara had accepted May 9 for a meeting between Biden and Erdogan.

That would have been the first bilateral visit to Washington since 2019 when Erdogan met with then President Donald Trump, a Republican. He and Biden have met a few times at international summits and spoken by phone since the Democratic U.S. president took office in January 2021.

Ties between the U.S. and Turkey have been long strained by differences on a range of issues. While they have thawed since Ankara ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid earlier this year, tensions persist over Syria and Russia and the war in Gaza.

Erdogan visited neighboring Iraq this week. Last weekend, he met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, the first meeting between Erdogan and a Hamas delegation headed by Haniyeh since Israel began its military offensive in the Gaza Strip following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Jonathan Spicer in Ankara; additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Paul Grant; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Alistair Bell, Kirsten Donovan)

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Biden Administration Releases Revised Title IX Rules

The new regulations extended legal protections to L.G.B.T.Q. students and rolled back several policies set under the Trump administration.

By Zach Montague and Erica L. Green

Reporting from Washington

The Biden administration issued new rules on Friday cementing protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students under federal law and reversing a number of Trump-era policies that dictated how schools should respond to cases of alleged sexual misconduct in K-12 schools and college campuses.

The new rules, which take effect on Aug. 1, effectively broadened the scope of Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding. They extend the law’s reach to prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and widen the range of sexual harassment complaints that schools will be responsible for investigating.

“These regulations make it crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights,” Miguel A. Cardona, the education secretary, said in a call with reporters.

The rules deliver on a key campaign promise for Mr. Biden, who declared he would put a “quick end” to the Trump-era Title IX rules and faced mounting pressure from Democrats and civil rights leaders to do so.

The release of the updated rules, after two delays, came as Mr. Biden is in the thick of his re-election bid and is trying to galvanize key electoral constituencies.

Through the new regulations, the administration moved to include students in its interpretation of Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark 2020 Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. The Trump administration held that transgender students were not protected under federal laws, including after the Bostock ruling .

In a statement, Betsy DeVos, who served as Mr. Trump’s education secretary, criticized what she called a “radical rewrite” of the law, asserting that it was an “endeavor born entirely of progressive politics, not sound policy.”

Ms. DeVos said the inclusion of transgender students in the law gutted decades of protections and opportunities for women. She added that the Biden administration also “seeks to U-turn to the bad old days where sexual misconduct was sent to campus kangaroo courts, not resolved in a way that actually sought justice.”

While the regulations released on Friday contained considerably stronger protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students, the administration steered clear of the lightning-rod issue of whether transgender students should be able to play on school sports teams corresponding to their gender identity.

The administration stressed that while, writ large, exclusion based on gender identity violated Title IX, the new regulations did not extend to single-sex living facilities or sports teams. The Education Department is pursuing a second rule dealing with sex-related eligibility for male and female sports teams. The rule-making process has drawn more than 150,000 comments.

Under the revisions announced on Friday, instances where transgender students are subjected to a “hostile environment” through bullying or harassment, or face unequal treatment and exclusion in programs or facilities based on their gender identity, could trigger an investigation by the department’s Office for Civil Rights.

Instances where students are repeatedly referred to by a name or pronoun other than one they have chosen could also be considered harassment on a case-by-case basis.

“This is a bold and important statement that transgender and nonbinary students belong, in their schools and in their communities,” said Olivia Hunt, the policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality.

The regulations appeared certain to draw to legal challenges from conservative groups.

May Mailman, the director of the Independent Women’s Law Center, said in a statement that the group planned to sue the administration. She said it was clear that the statute barring discrimination on the basis of “sex” means “binary and biological.”

“The unlawful omnibus regulation reimagines Title IX to permit the invasion of women’s spaces and the reduction of women’s rights in the name of elevating protections for ‘gender identity,’ which is contrary to the text and purpose of Title IX,” she said.

The existing rules, which took effect under Mr. Trump in 2020, were the first time that sexual assault provisions were codified under Title IX. They bolstered due process rights of accused students, relieved schools of some legal liabilities and laid out rigid parameters for how schools should conduct impartial investigations.

They were a sharp departure from the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law, which came in the form of unenforceable guidance documents directing schools to ramp up investigations into sexual assault complaints under the threat of losing federal funding. Scores of students who had been accused of sexual assault went on to win court cases against their colleges for violating their due process rights under the guidelines.

The Biden administration’s rules struck a balance between the Obama and Trump administration’s goals. Taken together, the regulation largely provides more flexibility for how schools conduct investigations, which advocates and schools have long lobbied for.

Catherine E. Lhamon, the head of the department’s Office for Civil Rights who also held the job under President Barack Obama, called the new rules the “most comprehensive coverage under Title IX since the regulations were first promulgated in 1975.”

They replaced a narrower definition of sex-based harassment adopted under the Trump administration with one that would include a wider range of conduct. And they reversed a requirement that schools investigate only incidents alleged to have occurred on their campuses or in their programs.

Still, some key provisions in the Trump-era rules were preserved, including one allowing informal resolutions and another prohibiting penalties against students until after an investigation.

Among the most anticipated changes was the undoing of a provision that required in-person, or so-called live hearings, in which students accused of sexual misconduct, or their lawyers, could confront and question accusers in a courtroom-like setting.

The new rules allow in-person hearings, but do not mandate them. They also require a process through which a decision maker could assess a party or witness’s credibility, including posing questions from the opposing party.

“The new regulations put an end to unfair and traumatic grievance procedures that favor harassers,” Kel O’Hara, a senior attorney at Equal Rights Advocates. “No longer will student survivors be subjected to processes that prioritize the interests of their perpetrators over their own well being and safety.”

The new rules also allow room for schools to use a “preponderance of evidence” standard, a lower burden of proof than the DeVos-era rules encouraged, through which administrators need only to determine whether it was more likely than not that sexual misconduct had occurred.

The renewed push for that standard drew criticism from legal groups who said the rule stripped away hard-won protections against flawed findings.

“When you are dealing with accusations of really one of the most heinous crimes that a person can commit — sexual assault — it’s not enough to say, ‘50 percent and a feather,’ before you brand someone guilty of this repulsive crime,” said Will Creeley, the legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

The changes concluded a three-year process in which the department received 240,000 public comments. The rules also strengthen protections for pregnant students, requiring accommodations such as a bigger desk or ensuring access to elevators and prohibiting exclusion from activities based on additional needs.

Title IX was designed to end discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities at all institutions receiving federal financial assistance, beginning with sports programs and other spaces previously dominated by male students.

The effects of the original law have been pronounced. Far beyond the impact on school programs like sports teams, many educators credit Title IX with setting the stage for academic parity today. Female college students routinely outnumber male students on campus and have become more likely than men of the same age to graduate with a four-year degree.

But since its inception, Title IX has also become a powerful vehicle through which past administrations have sought to steer schools to respond to the dynamic and diverse nature of schools and universities.

While civil rights groups were disappointed that some ambiguity remains for the L.G.B.T.Q. students and their families, the new rules were widely praised for taking a stand at a time when education debates are reminiscent to the backlash after the Supreme Court ordered schools to integrate.

More than 20 states have passed laws that broadly prohibit anyone assigned male at birth from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams or participating in scholastic athletic programs, while 10 states have laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms based on their gender identity.

“Some adults are showing up and saying, ‘I’m going to make school harder for children,” said Liz King, senior program director of the education equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “It’s an incredibly important rule, at an incredibly important moment.”

Schools will have to cram over the summer to implement the rules, which will require a retraining staff and overhauling procedures they implemented only four years ago.

Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities, said in a statement that while the group welcomed the changes in the new rule, the timeline “disregards the difficulties inherent in making these changes on our nation’s campuses in such a short period of time.”

“After years of constant churn in Title IX guidance and regulations,” Mr. Mitchell said, “we hope for the sake of students and institutions that there will be more stability and consistency in the requirements going forward.”

Zach Montague is based in Washington. He covers breaking news and developments around the district. More about Zach Montague

Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Erica L. Green

West Virginia visit surpasses all expectations for 2025 LB White

Sumner (Fla.) Riverview 2025 linebacker Cameron White was already interested in the West Virginia football program but seeing it person was an eye-opening experience.

White, 6-foot-1, 221-pounds, traveled to Morgantown for the annual Gold-Blue game and was impressed with everything he saw from the facilities, to the environment to the interactions with the coaching staff.

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Secret Service removes agent from Kamala Harris' detail after 'distressing' behavior

WASHINGTON — A Secret Service special agent was removed from Vice President Kamala Harris' detail after having exhibited "distressing" behavior this week, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

The agent, whose identity has not been disclosed, had been involved with the Harris' departure from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Monday morning, when Harris was headed to Wisconsin.

The agent "began displaying behavior their colleagues found distressing," Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, said in a statement Thursday. "The agent was removed from their assignment while medical personnel were summoned."

Harris was not present when the incident took place. She was at the Naval Observatory, the vice president's residence, and Guglielmi said her departure was not affected.

“The U.S. Secret Service takes the safety and health of our employees very seriously,” Guglielmi said. “As this was a medical matter, we will not disclose any further details.”

Additional information about the incident, which was first reported by the Washington Examiner , was not released. The vice president's office did not comment Thursday.

Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.

White House visitor logs contradict Biden spokesman's vow to ban DC official who praised notorious antisemite

FIRST ON FOX: A Washington, D.C., official has visited the White House twice since a spokesperson for President Biden said she wouldn't be invited back after she praised noted antisemite Louis Farrakhan, Fox News Digital has learned. 

Cora Masters Barry, who was appointed CEO of the city's Recreation Wish List Committee, delivered remarks in mid-2022 praising Farrakhan as a "friend" and "member of the family," adding, "I love you more than words will ever say." 

Shortly after her comments, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates condemned Farrakhan and said Barry would not ever be invited back to the White House.

FETTERMAN REJECTS HARRIS SUGGESTION THAT ISRAEL COULD FACE CONSEQUENCES FOR RAFAH INVASION: 'HARD DISAGREE'

"The president has unequivocally condemned Louis Farrakhan and the hate he represents for decades and co-sponsored bipartisan legislation doing so," Bates told Fox News Digital . "He also denounces any praise of Louis Farrakhan or his repugnant, antisemitic values, including in this case."

However, according to a Fox News Digital review of visitor logs, Barry returned to the White House in June 2023 and again in December 2023.

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The first visit, on June 13, 2023, appears to have been for a Juneteenth concert on the White House South Lawn, where Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both delivered remarks. The purpose of her second visit, on Dec. 14, 2023, remains unclear, though it appears she attended an evening reception alongside hundreds of other invitees.

The White House and Barry didn't respond to requests for comment.

ISRAEL LAUDS CONGRESS' BLOW TO UN AGENCY WITH ALLEGED HAMAS TIES AS INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE

Washington, D.C.Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed Barry to her current position, saying in 2021 that she was "grateful for women" like Barry. Bowser notably stood by Barry after City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson moved to block her from serving on the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Overall, Barry, who donated $500 each to Biden's presidential campaign and the Biden Victory Fund, according to federal filings, has visited the White House at least six times since Biden took office.

Barry previously received criticism for her comments attacking white women and compared supporters of former President Trump to the Ku Klux Klan. 

Her praise for Farrakhan , who leads the Nation of Islam religious group, was uttered during a private event in October 2022 honoring her late husband, former Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry. 

Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam have been heavily criticized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was founded to stop the defamation of Jewish people, and by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The ADL has called Farrakhan "one of the most prominent antisemites," and SPLC has classified the Nation of Islam as a hate group.

The White House has repeatedly reaffirmed that the president has disavowed Farrakhan, though the most recent public example appears to be a Senate floor speech Biden delivered four decades ago, in 1984.

The Nation of Islam didn't respond to a request for comment.

Original article source: White House visitor logs contradict Biden spokesman's vow to ban DC official who praised notorious antisemite

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Oregon Football Spring Game Wins: ‘Humble’ Dillon Gabriel, Dangerous Duck Playmakers

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel led the Green Team to a 28-23 victory over QB Dante Moore’s White Team in front of 40,000 Ducks fans in Autzen Stadium.

• Author: Bri Amaranthus

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Quarterback Dillon Gabriel took the field at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon for the first time in Oregon’s spring football game. 

Gabriel led the Green Team to a 28-17 victory over QB Dante Moore’s White Team in front of 40,000 Ducks fans. 

“He’s just worked.” Lanning said of Gabriel’s performance this spring. “Great attitude and a humble approach. He’s the ultimate teammate.”

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

At first look, Gabriel was giving shades of former Oregon Duck quarterback Marcus Mariota. Both are duel-threat quarterbacks. Both were raised on the island of Oahu in towns less than an hour from one another.  They both wear No. 8 .  

Gabriel got the stamp of approval from Mariota to do so. Back in December, Mariota “approved” Gabriel wearing the No. 8 jersey for the Ducks.

Gabriel’s spring game performance was solid , showing a good connection with transfer wide receiver Evan Stewart with an impressive 49-yard pass. In his first game in a Duck uniform, the self-proclaimed 'Jack of all trades' Stewart led the Green Team with 67 receiving yards.

Gabriel finished 14-of-21 for 163 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions

Entering 2024, Gabriel is considered a Heisman Trophy contender with the third-best odds to win the prestigious honor. 

Good news for Gabriel, the Ducks’ cup runneth over with playmakers . The second half of the spring game was highlighted by offensive plays. White Team running back Jordan James led all teams with 73 yards receiving on five catches.

After the game, receiver Tez Johnson stole the show, wearing a Denver Broncos hat in honor of his adopted brother, Bo Nix. Nix was drafted No. 12-overall to the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft. Johnson added 31 yards on five receptions.

Following the spring game, @tezMania15 reps his new favorite NFL team. #GoDucks #ProDucks pic.twitter.com/uAsnkmhBkE — Rob Moseley (@DuckFootball) April 27, 2024

Also at the Oregon Spring game, former Duck running back Kenjon Barner and linebacker Troy Dye, who were the guest coaches. 

In Lanning’s third spring game as coach of the Ducks, he invited Eugene native and fan-favorite artist Mat Kearney to perform a postgame concert on the field of Autzen Stadium. 

Now, the Ducks look ahead to their innagural season in the Big Ten Conference.

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Bears, White Sox want stadium deals, so how about a cut of the action?

In exchange for billions of dollars in public money, the public deserves an ownership stake in the franchises..

Renderings released April 24 showcase the Chicago Bears’ plan for a new stadium and grounds.

In a better world, Chicagoans would have an extra spring in their steps these days, even people working two jobs to make ends meet, struggling to pay the babysitter or just aghast at food prices.

Whatever our challenges, we’re all big shots these days, at least in the view of two Chicago sports franchises. The Bears and the White Sox need billions of dollars from the public to get new stadiums in the city. It’s as if the average person suddenly has something in common with Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. Chicagoans have what the teams need.

It’s too bad the citizen interest must be represented by politicians, who can be clueless, snookered and cowed by a sports team’s threats to leave town. People don’t have a voice to say what a tycoon would if asked for a billion dollars — “What’s in it for me?”

Why not give taxpayers who are partners in these private ventures an ownership share in the Bears and White Sox? We can start the discussions at 35%, board seats included.

This is not to suggest that some governor, mayor or agency should decide the White Sox roster or the Bears’ draft picks. Those arrangements couldn’t do much worse in wins and losses, but let’s let Jerry Reinsdorf and the McCaskey family keep taking the heat.

The real value of an ownership share is so the taxpayers can share the gains once these franchises are sold, as they inevitably will be. Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey is 101. Reinsdorf, who runs the White Sox as chairman while owning a minority stake, is 88. Forbes has estimated the Bears are worth around $6 billion and that the Sox check in at more than $2 billion. Stadium deals could add to those valuations in a sports economy inflated by new money from gambling sponsorships.

League rules are a tall hurdle

Mention public stakes to those who value teams for a living, and the responses are that the concept makes sense but might never happen.

“The league rules are so restrictive,” said David Sunkin, partner in the law firm Sheppard Mullin and co-head of its sports industry team.

Sunkin said, however, that Chicago could have a decent negotiating position with the White Sox and Bears. Pro stadium deals in Los Angeles, one serving two NFL teams and the other for the basketball Clippers, were privately funded, and there are signs of a taxpayer revolt elsewhere. Voters in Kansas City rejected a funding package for their baseball and football teams, even though their Chiefs won this year’s Super Bowl.

Coming out of the pandemic, “Other cities don’t have the appetite or the resources to provide new money for stadiums,” Sunkin said.

Still, league rules are a tall hurdle. In an article for Sports Business Journal, Sunkin said the NFL is the most restrictive, limiting each team to 25 individual investors, although it gets around that by counting family companies and trusts as one. MLB, he said, has loosened its standards to allow for private equity but still requires controlling owners to have at least a 30% share. The leagues could not be reached for comment.

Author Neil deMause, who critiques stadium funding plans at his Field of Schemes website, recalled that Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, tried years ago to give the San Diego Padres to the city, only to be blocked by MLB.

“The sports leagues have made a concerted effort to head off the possibility of public ownership at every turn,” deMause said.

But rules can be changed. The NFL has a grandfather exemption for the Green Bay Packers, which is owned by its fan base. Baseball nearly had a public investment situation in Miami, where former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria made a deal to reimburse local governments for stadium costs after selling the franchise. Accounting disputes ensued, what the local county called “fuzzy math,” and public entities got just a pittance.

Bears CEO Kevin Warren told the Sun-Times Editorial Board Thursday that there is “no plan, intent, desire, rationale for this team to ever be sold.”

A public trough, yet to be filled

When it comes to the Bears and the White Sox, Gov. J.B. Pritzker should lead the discussions. Pritzker knows his way around private equity.

In the meantime, he and legislative leaders have been cool to talk about subsidizing stadiums. Follow the bouncing ball on this, though. Stadium funding deals are the sort of legislative dishes cooked up after elections.

It’s been amusing to see the two clubs elbow for position around a public trough yet to be filled. Both thirst for the same funding source, a 2% tax on hotel stays that pays the bonds for Soldier Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. It’s only a matter of time before other funding sources enter the mix, such as a sales tax add-on. The Sox’ proposed stadium site already has access to part of $1.1 billion in tax increment financing, a diversion of property taxes.

For their part, the Bears are showcasing their best pals relationship with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who wants to open the city’s checkbook. We’ll see if the club knows mayors better than it does quarterbacks. The team’s stadium reveal this week laid out plans for $1.5 billion in infrastructure spending affecting DuSable Lake Shore Drive and the Museum Campus, property the team does not own.

The Bears at last became the Monsters of the Midway, just not in a good way.

David Roeder is a former Sun-Times business and labor reporter.

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