It’s Opening Day! The Major League Baseball’s 2018 season is kicking off on Thursday, March 29. What better way to celebrate than to look back at some of the most hilarious and memorable ceremonial celebrity first pitches ever?
Teams often invite celebrities to throw the ceremonial first pitch at baseball games, and the moments become unforgettable. Although the stars are talented in their own fields, some of them showed that sports are most definitely not their fortes. Watch the video above to see Us Weekly‘s picks for some of the eight most memorable celebrity first pitches ever!
50 Cent
The rapper took the mound at New York’s Citi Field in May 2014 to throw the first pitch during a New York Mets vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game. The Power actor looked confident in a Mets jersey and a blue and orange baseball cap, but when he threw the ball, he completely missed home plate. The “Candy Shop” rapper was invited back by the team to redeem himself in January 2018.
Carly Rae Jepsen
The “Call Me, Maybe” singer threw the first pitch at a Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, in July 2013, and totally missed her mark. After the Canadian singer prepared to throw the ball, she threw it halfway between the mound and the plate and then watched the ball roll until it hit a cameraman’s bag to the left side of home plate. The broadcast announcer said Jepsen’s pitch gave Howard Stern’s Baba Booey a run for his money.
Gary Dell’Abate
The radio producer’s first pitch is known as one of the worst first pitches of all time. Dell’Abate, who’s affectionately called Baba Gooey on Sirius XM’s The Howard Stern Show, was invited to throw the first pitch at the Mets Game in Citi Field in May 2009. When he threw the ball, it went over the catcher’s head and hit the umpire in the chest. “Oh, Jesus Christ!” the broadcast announcer was heard saying in a panic. “He just threw it and it hit the umpire!”
Wiz Khalifa
The “Young, Wild & Free” rapper seemed to put an honest effort into his pitch at a Pirates and Orioles game in September 2017 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, but it didn’t exactly pay off. Khalifa was all smiles as he threw the ball, but instead of home plate, it headed toward the photographers on the sidelines who were capturing the moment. His appearance also caused a bit of controversy when the rapper pretended to be smoking marijuana before he threw the ball while wearing a “legalize it” shirt.
Jack Black
The comedian was invited to throw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Philadelphia Phillies in April 2017. The actor put on a show for spectators and threw quite a pitch!
Luna Stephens
Following in her mom Chrissy Teigen’s footsteps, Luna was invited to throw the first pitch at a Seattle Mariners game in June 2017. John Legend and Teigen’s firstborn wore her own personal jersey as her famous parents helped her throw the ball.
Mariah Carey
The glamorous songstress threw a hilarious first pitch at a game at the Tokyo Dome in 2011. She dressed for the occasion in form-fitting denim shorts, high heels, sunglasses and a pink silky bomber jacket. Carey lightly threw the ball in the direction of home plate. The “Touch My Body” singer simply shrugged and smiled at the crowd as the ball slowly rolled down the field.
Mark Wahlberg
The actor threw the ceremonial first pitch in July 2009 at a Boston Red Sox game against the Seattle Mariners in his hometown’s Fenway Park. The Transformers star threw the ball away from home plate toward the right, striking a fan who was watching from the sidelines.
