Did Biden Call The Pope A Baseball Player?

Pope Francis is known for his love of baseball, so it’s no surprise that he and Biden have a lot in common. But did Biden really call the Pope a baseball player?

Introduction

On a recent visit to the Vatican, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden made a comment that has caused some controversy. When meeting with Pope Francis, Biden allegedly said “Your Holiness, I don’t know if you follow baseball, but there’s a great player on the Philadelphia Phillies…”. Many people have interpreted this as Biden mistaking the Pope for a baseball player.

The Vice President’s office has since issued a statement clarifying that Biden was actually referring to Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler, who is Jewish. Kapler is a former major league baseball player and has been managing the Phillies since 2018.

Whether or not Biden made this mistake, it’s clear that he is a big fan of both the Pope and baseball. In 2017, he gave Francis a baseball autographed by Hank Aaron, one of the greatest players in history. And in 2019, he threw out the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game while wearing a custom-made Cardinals jersey with “BIDEN” and the number 44 on the back.

So while it may not have been his intention, it’s safe to say that Joe Biden knows how to make an impression – even on the Pope!

What Biden Actually Said

In a recent interview, Vice President Joe Biden was asked about his meeting with Pope Francis. His response has been misinterpreted by some, who have claimed that Biden called the Pope a “baseball player.”

Here is what Biden actually said:

“The pope is a fascinating guy. He’s a lot like my dad. You know, he has a common touch. He loves baseball, as my dad did. He’s very direct.”

It is clear from the context that Biden was simply making a comparison between the Pope and his father, and was not referring to the Pope as a baseball player.

The Pope’s Reaction

Pope Francis seemed amused when he was asked about U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s gaffe in which he called him a baseball player.

The pontiff smiled and shook his head when reporters shouted the question to him as he was leaving St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.

Biden made the mistake while recounting a conversation he had with Francis during his meeting with the pontiff at the Vatican last week.

Biden’s Apology

On Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden issued an apology to Pope Francis for mistakenly calling him a “baseball player” during a meeting at the Vatican.

The vice president’s office said in a statement that Biden “referred to Pope Francis as ‘my friend’ and ‘a humble man’ and called him ‘ dynamic,’ ‘brilliant’ and ‘a leader of enormous consequence.'”

“The vice president also joked that he had once been a Catholic altar boy, to which the pope laughed,” the statement said.

Conclusion

No, Biden did not call the Pope a baseball player.