Views of the current United States president are quite mixed, but Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Clay Buchholz is a pretty big fan.
His reason, however, is fairly unique. Because if not for Donald Trump, Buchholz never would have met his wife, Lindsay Clubine.
A decade ago, Buchholz, then a member of the Boston Red Sox, was invited by Trump with some teammates to a party. Upon arriving, Trump surveyed who was and was not single, and proceeded to introduce Buchholz to Clubine, the pitcher told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
“I remember him saying, ‘Ok, who’s single here and who’s married?’’ Buchholz said. “I told him I was single. That’s when he introduced me.’
The two spent most of the night talking and married not too long afterward.
“If not for the president,’’ Buchholz added, “none of this possible. He’ll always be a good friend. I’m able to tell my kids that the President of the United States introduced their mom and dad.
“Pretty special.’’
The righty knows the optics of liking a president who is not well-received by many, but given the connection, that has not stopped Buchholz from standing by his friend.
“I know he’s not the most popular guy,’’ Buchholz told Nightengale. “But I really like him. I don’t get into politics, and stay away from the social media, but I will say that everything he said he was going to do for this country, he’s done.
“I stand by him. … He’s my friend.”
