George Bush’s Tokyo pitch: Dirtball

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The Giants are up in the Japan Series -- 2-1 over the Nippon Ham Fighters. And George W. Bush, the former managing partner of the Texas Rangers (also former president of the United States), was there to toss the ceremonial first pitch for Game 3.

Bush, wearing a Yomiuri warm-up jacket, took the mound today at the Tokyo Dome and pitched a dirt-bouncing ball to Giants catcher Shinnosuke Abe.

Bush watched the game in a private box with former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whom Bush once hosted for a tour of Graceland -- the ex-PM is a big Elvis fan. Also in the box: Japanese home-run king Sadaharu Oh and U.S. Ambassador John Roos.

The Giants won the game 7-4 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, Japan’s version of the World Series.

-- Mark Silva