The First Pitch

I love baseball. I enjoy going to baseball games. The sites, sounds, and smells enhance the experience. Have you ever wondered how the person throwing out the first pitch gets selected? As a kid when I attended games with my family I often wondered how people got to throw out the first pitch. I always wanted to be that person. Three weeks ago I was chosen to represent a group attending a baseball game by throwing out the first pitch. It was a complete honor! Three other people also got to throw out a pitch. But it didn't matter to me that I was one of four people....I WAS one of four! How cool was that? I arrived at the game early and checked in at customer service. When the time came to walk out onto the field the only thought I had was "throw it so the catcher can catch it". I was worried that I would bounce the ball up to the plate or worse yet throw it a mile over the catcher's head. I kept thinking I should have practiced all week to make that throw. I couldn't believe how nervious I was. While I played softball in college and for many years after, I had not thrown a ball in a couple of years since I tore my rotator cuff. I really hadn't given much thought to the idea that 10,000 plus people would be watching. See, I knew better. The only people who really focus on the first pitch is your family and friends and people like me who sit in the seats wishing it was them.