The ceremonial first pitch is a time-honored tradition at ballparks across the country. It's a great opportunity to put the spotlight on community leaders, celebrities, and notable figures. While no one expects a non-professional baseball player to throw out a flawless slider or 90 mph fastball, an amateur with a baseball in their hands can be disastrous for anyone standing too close as one photographer learned Tuesday night.
Witness what happened ahead of the Royals/White Sox game in which a White Sox employee of the month was given the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. As the employee readied herself, she drew back and tried her best to throw the ball toward the catcher. But, the pitch went wild, and her moment in the sun turned into viral gold as the ball struck a photographer and his camera who was standing to her left.
The photographer, Darren Georgia, says he and the camera turned out fine and he even managed to capture the shot moments before he got nailed.
The White Sox didn't divulge the woman's name (to save her from further embarrassment perhaps), but one Twitter user claiming to be the woman's daughter posted another angle of the now-viral first pitch.
The daughter posted another video of her mother laughing at the footage of her terrible pitch.
Of course, there have been far worse first pitches out there as Twitter users pointed out in the replies.
And of course, no article about wild first pitches would be complete without a look back at the infamous one thrown out by 50 Cent at a Mets game five years ago.
Then again, it's hard to beat this first pitch.