Richard Seymour threw the first pitch at tonight A's game. He is one intimidating lefty on the mound. The baseball looks like a golf ball in his giant skull crushing hands.
I wish I could find video of this. I am always fascinated at how horrible some really great athletes are at throwing out the first pitch. Carl Lewis and John Wall come to mind. Their efforts were barely better than a half naked Mariah Carey dropping the ball on her stilettos in Japan.
I was at a Mariner game where Marcus Trufant threw out the first pitch. It was awful—went about 40 feet. I was at another game when Eddie Vedder threw the first ball. He rifled about a 55 MPH strike right down the middle. That's like a billion MPHs in first pitch terms.
Even some former baseball players throw up some horrible first pitches. Reggie Jackson missed the catcher by about 15-feet the other night at a Yankees game. I really don't get it. A baseball is the easiest thing in the world to throw. It is the perfect size, weight and shape. It is a true oddity of the universe that people struggle with this.
One of you must have seen Seymour's pitch? How was it? His form doesn't look to bad. He has a nice grip. Although, if I was guessing, his release point looks a little off. I'd say this one bounced before it got to the catcher.