Though first pitches at baseball games may be ceremonial, they’re largely forgettable — perhaps special to the person or people participating in the occasion, along with friends and family, but not really a big deal to the fans in attendance. That is, unless something goes terribly wrong, like 50 Cent’s infamous first pitch two years ago or a dinosaur tossing out the first ball of the game.
But the first pitch was done with style and flair in the CPBL, the Taiwanese baseball league, before Sunday’s game between the Chinatrust Brothers and the Lamigo Monkeys. Yang Qianmei performed an elaborate floor (field?) routine with a hula hoop and ribbon before finally getting down to the business at hand. But Qianmei didn’t simply stand in front of the mound and heave the ball to Lamigo’s Chan Zhi Yao. No, she did it like you might expect a gymnast would. Check it out. (Go to the 2:50 mark if you just want to see the pitch.)
Was that a strike? Qianmei might have gotten the call in MLB, where umpires often favor the low strike below the knees. (That’s why MLB is considering measures to change the strike zone next season.)
Regardless, that first pitch was more exciting than the usual fare from a very local celebrity (like a DJ or talk show host) or some faceless account executive who sponsored something related to the game or home team. More cartwheels or flips with first pitches! Well, only if they’re accomplished amateurs or professionals. Let’s not get anyone hurt out there.
