When President Trump withdrew his invitation to the Eagles to meet with him at the White House, he fractured the decades-old tradition of championship sports teams visiting the sitting president.
With just a handful of Eagles planning to attend, the president canceled the team’s ceremony and instead held what he called a “celebration of America.” While cancellations and controversy surrounding the normally low-tension event — which has only become a tradition in recent decades — aren’t unheard of, they aren’t common, either.
>> READ MORE Trump cancels Eagles’ White House celebration on eve of visit after fewer than 10 players planned to attend
A recent tradition
Championship-winning teams regularly visiting the White House is a relatively new practice, although athletes have been meeting with presidents for more than a century.