THROWING OUT THE FIRST PITCH

The phone rang in my office at The Lutheran Schools Association of Metropolitan New York. It was the New York Mets. They told me the Mets were playing the Los Angeles Dodgers at Shea Stadium. The date had also been set as Lutheran Schools Day at Shea. They asked if I’d be interested in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

Silly question. Of course. What time should I be there?

Then reality hit. I haven’t thrown a baseball in years. Can I get it from the mound to home plate? What if I bounce it or throw it over the catcher’s head?
The answer is practice. So I visit my grandson. I step off the distance from the mound to the plate. I use an official regulation National League baseball. I get it. I can do it.

On the appointed day I go to the assigned box in the stands between home and first base. The manager and Rod Hundley, the catcher come to greet me. The big right field score board announces in lights, “Throwing Out the First Pitch is Mel Kieschnick of the Lutheran Schools Association.” I’m ready. I ask for the best route to get from the box seat to the mound.

I am told, “Oh no, just stay in the box and throw it to Hundley. He’ll stand right here.”

So I made my great FIRST PITCH all of ten feet of it, from a box seat. Hundley caught the ball, handed it back to me and wished me a nice day.

Sometimes the excitement of anticipation is greater than the thrill of reality.
At least the Mets beat the Dodgers that day.