First pitch at Red Sox game nails photographer in the groin
The ceremonial first pitch in Boston on Wednesday night ended in some pain for an unlucky photographer.
Wednesday, Aug. 16 was a night that Boston Red Sox fan Jordan Leandre had waited for his entire life. The Beantown blogger, pitcher and podcaster was slated to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park on a night where the Sox honored the 1967 team.
All loosened up and ready to go, Leandre was ready for his magic moment as a handful of legendary players looked on.
The ceremonial-first-pitch-haver went into a very aggressive windup and let fly with much more heat than is typically on display when the civilians get on the field.
Best 1st pitch ever. pic.twitter.com/7iV1Ku7FoK
— Steve Perrault (@Steve_Perrault) August 16, 2017
*Extremely Bob Uecker voice* Juuuuuuuuuuuussssssssssttttt a bit outside.
Cameraman Tony Capobianco caught the first pitch right in the mommy-daddy button. He was exposed, unprotected and unprepared. The result was not pretty.
My camera man @TonyCapobianco is the poor guy that took that first pitch in the McNuggets. Here's his view of it coming in. pic.twitter.com/NVD70hiIn2
— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) August 16, 2017
Capturing a baseball that is about to nail you right in the family jewels only adds insult to injury. I don’t know who to feel worse for here. The cameraman will feel better in about five (okay, maybe 10) minutes, and then his life will go on as regularly scheduled. As for Leandre, the first-pitch chump, he’s now going to spend the rest of his life lumped in with Carly Rae Jepsen, 50 Cent, John Wall and Carl Lewis. At the very least, he’s set himself up for a lifetime of ball-busting from his boys.
Having thrown out a first pitch of my own once at a minor league game, I can speak to the sense of pure dread that goes through your entire body as you prepare to throw a baseball in front of several thousand people. The only thing that matters in that moment is getting the ball somewhere in the vicinity of the professional athlete behind the plate forced to participate.
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Most fans and professional athletes from other sports who fail when throwing out a first pitch get it wrong by trying to be too perfect with their toss. This unfortunate Red Sox fan went in the complete opposite direction and tried to bring too much heat in front of the Fenway faithful. Here’s hoping he gets another shot at it one day down the road to put this moment in the past.