Althouse: Was there ever a better throwing out of the first pitch?

October 24, 2019

Was there ever a better throwing out of the first pitch?

Okay @Simone_Biles. #Astros pic.twitter.com/YpwI3qj8TY
— patrick (@PatDStat) October 24, 2019

49 comments:

RMc said...: I'll see you and I'll raise you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVeo6QMcbW4; 10/24/19, 6:05 AM
DavidD said...: She should’ve thrown the ball in the middle of her flip. That would’ve been something.; 10/24/19, 6:10 AM
Ann Althouse said...: My favorite part was puzzling over how much smaller than the catcher she is, thinking some of the difference had to do with optical illusion, and then seeing them together in real space. Big and small — it's a favorite topic of mine, something I find especially delightful.; 10/24/19, 6:16 AM
stevew said...: Well, that was fantastic. I was struck by how small she is in comparison to the catcher. Wiki tells me she stands 4' 8" tall. That's small no matter how tall the catcher is!; 10/24/19, 6:22 AM
Kevin said...: Contenders off the top of my head:

GWB after 9/11: no one knew if the attacks were really over.

Jeff Bauman and Carlos Arredondo: Bauman is the Boston Marathon bombing victim that lost both of his legs and later identified one of the bombers for authorities shortly after regaining consciousness in the hospital. Arredondo was the cowboy hat-wearing hero that helped Bauman into a wheelchair and was famously photographed pushing him to safety.

Honorable Mention: David Ortiz “This is our f***ing city!” pregame speech after the Boston Marathon bombing. Big Papi didn’t actually throw out the first pitch, but he came off the DL to play that day.; 10/24/19, 6:23 AM
Rick.T. said...: It’s been done before as well or better.

The showiest first pitch: pre-President Trump helicoptering into center field.

GOAT: President Bush at the World Series in Yankee Stadium after 9/11. Serious C.O. Jones.; 10/24/19, 6:25 AM
Rory said...: She didn't throw a strike.; 10/24/19, 6:25 AM
tim in vermont said...: She is very cute.; 10/24/19, 6:32 AM
tcrosse said...: Years ago there was an interview with a guy, famous for something else, who had once worked at an animation studio as an In Betweener. He would be given the beginning and end drawings of a sequence, and would draw the steps in between. Whenever he saw a tall person and a short person together, he would imagine all the people in between.; 10/24/19, 6:40 AM
iowan2 said...: Biles was just in the news lately. International competition. IIRC she has more international gold medals than any other gymnast. I think the news reports showed her doing never before accomplished flips and twists.

I hope she finds a satisfying and useful life. She is 22 (old for a gymnast) and is the best in the world in her chosen field. It has to be hard to transition to a walk-a-day citizen. Only the best of wishes for her future; 10/24/19, 6:55 AM
Birches said...: Freaking Astros. I don't need all the bandwagon fans in DC happy.; 10/24/19, 7:18 AM
gilbar said...: RMc said...
I'll see you and I'll raise you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVeo6QMcbW4

That's 'cause (South) Koreans are better at EVERYTHING american!; 10/24/19, 7:19 AM
tim maguire said...: She didn't throw a strike, so yes, it's been done better.

Who is she?; 10/24/19, 7:26 AM
Karen of Texas said...: I have to give the South Korean per RMc's link the nod. Simone's flip was physically more impressive, but the South Korean's incorporating of the pitch as a continuation of her move was coupled with much better throwing form!; 10/24/19, 7:36 AM
Big Mike said...: I had to get up early today so t went to bed at the end of the sixth. Wish I had stayed up! Go Nats!

@Birches, nothing personal, man, but FOAD. Thanks.

(Anyone else having trouble with blogger this morning?); 10/24/19, 8:05 AM
Ralph L said...: She throws like a girl!; 10/24/19, 8:05 AM
Howard said...: Mutt and Jeff.; 10/24/19, 8:12 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: GWBush's first pitch in game 3 of the WS, 2001 is probably still the best, but Biles' performance is impressive for sure.

Gymnasts in general are amazing in person but one reason I dislike watching women's gymnastic events is that so many of the top competitors seems like children--many are barely teenagers. I have a tough time tolerating commentators talking about how long this or that gymnast has worked and suffered when they're literally 13! That, combined with the enormous pressure and physical danger they undergo to compete (as children) makes it tough to watch.

Biles is early 20s and almost every article I read about her success mentions how old she is for the sport. It's nuts.; 10/24/19, 8:14 AM
Darury said...: I've seen her perform at the Olympics and it didn't register the lovely young woman throwing the pitch was the same as the little kid from the Olympics.; 10/24/19, 8:22 AM
iowan2 said...: She didn't throw a strike, so yes, it's been done better.

Who is she?

Good point.

Who would know her? Worlds most successful female(born female (see; Cycling)) gymnast. I would have no idea, if she were not trained at a gym in Des Moines. Team mate of Shawn Johnson, Dancing with the Stars champion. (must have been a gymnast too?); 10/24/19, 8:23 AM
Curious George said...: "Was there ever a better throwing out of the first pitch?"

Other than Obama's, who throws like a girl, most of them. She threw off the wrong foot. Terrible.

And it wasn't just a bad pitch, she didn't stick the landing on her back flip twist thing. Sad.; 10/24/19, 8:26 AM
Fernandinande said...: Was there ever a better throwing out of the first pitch?

It was very girlish throw, so it's the best throw evar!; 10/24/19, 8:27 AM
Gahrie said...: That's nothing...check out what the Japanese girls have been doing with the first pitch for years....they do flips and throw the ball all in one motion.; 10/24/19, 8:29 AM
Sebastian said...: "Was there ever a better throwing out of the first pitch?"

Since we manly men wouldn't call what she did "throwing": yes.

Of course, we wouldn't try anything Biles does. Respect!; 10/24/19, 8:32 AM
John Scott said...: Frankly, I was a bit disappointed. Before I clicked on the video I was expecting to see the ball leave her hand in midair just before she stuck the landing.

As others have pointed out. W's was the best.; 10/24/19, 8:38 AM
Ice Nine said...: Yes.; 10/24/19, 8:50 AM
M Jordan said...: “Was there ever a better ...?”

Yes. George W. Bush after 9/11.; 10/24/19, 8:52 AM
MacMacConnell said...: How could anyone be disappointed in Simone Biles, she is amazing. It's like watching Pele and being proud to be the same species.; 10/24/19, 8:59 AM
Scott Patton said...: "Ralph L said...
She throws like a girl!"

I thought that too, but then it came to mind that it's more likely that she throws like someone who was never taught how to throw a baseball.
Trying to find a simple answer to a seemingly straightforward question regarding throwing differences between the sexes is an unsurprisingly frustrating task. It is a scientific question that apparently no one has the balls to address. Although, I did give up after about 45 seconds - because that's how long it should take.; 10/24/19, 9:21 AM
Curious George said...: It pains me to say it, but Jimmy Carter actually threw a good pitch and from the rubber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqxbKMJQlD4

It looked like he wasn't wearing a bullet proof vest (this was after his presidency) which has to help.; 10/24/19, 9:28 AM
Yancey Ward said...: Biles is an insanely talented athlete, but she still throws like girl.; 10/24/19, 9:45 AM
Curious George said...: "My favorite part was puzzling over how much smaller than the catcher she is"

The "catcher" was centerfielder Jake Marisnick, who is tall at 6' 4". Biles is very short, 4' 8".; 10/24/19, 9:48 AM
PB said...: He should have asked for her autograph.; 10/24/19, 9:53 AM
AllenS said...: She throws better than Barry Soetoro. That's for sure.; 10/24/19, 10:01 AM
Fernandinande said...: Trying to find a simple answer to a seemingly straightforward question regarding throwing differences between the sexes is an unsurprisingly frustrating task.

google your string [throwing differences between the sexes] and the frist first result is:

Gender Differences in Motor Skills of the Overarm Throw

then a few more on the first page of results

"Gender Differences in Throwing Revisited: Sensorimotor Coordination in a Virtual Ball Aiming Task"

"On The Evolution of The Sex Differences in Throwing: Throwing is a Male Adaptation in Humans"

Although, I did give up after about 45 seconds - because that's how long it should take.

It should take about 10 seconds because that's how long it took.; 10/24/19, 10:13 AM
Rory said...: Middle aged nun throwing a strike from the pitching rubber:

https://youtu.be/KJ4-TMImjfQ; 10/24/19, 10:45 AM
Bill Peschel said...: That nun was very good. She knew to approach the mound from the rear, too.; 10/24/19, 11:07 AM
Curious George said...: "Rory said...
Middle aged nun throwing a strike from the pitching rubber:"

I'd take that weak shit downtown.; 10/24/19, 11:15 AM
SweatBee said...: I thought it was weird. She looked like one of those old-school wind-up desk toys, flipping at random. Maybe if she'd flipped with the ball in her hand, or on completion of the catch, or if she'd thrown a strike...

My favorite is still GWB after 9/11, but the nun was entertaining, too.; 10/24/19, 11:29 AM
William said...: Most men don't look cute doing a back flip in tight jeans. Men throw better though. Evolution has put different demands on the sexes.; 10/24/19, 11:39 AM
Scott Patton said...: "Fernandistein
google your string [throwing differences between the sexes] and the frist first result is:..."

Thanks Fernandistein.
I made the mistake of searching for
throws like a girl; 10/24/19, 11:43 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: 9.9 for the twisting backflip, zero for the throw.; 10/24/19, 12:08 PM
readering said...: Unfair that nun had an empty stadium, but thanks to YouTube this stuff is forever. Hope other commenters can point to fav first pitches (but without dissing the wonderful Biles).; 10/24/19, 12:57 PM
PM said...: MLB should demand all future first-pitch throwers attempt that flip before their toss. Lulz+.; 10/24/19, 1:02 PM
JaimeRoberto said...: If you really want to see a freaky photo, Google the picture of her next to Shaquille O'Neill.

Pound for pound she's probably one of the best athletes out there. The talent, dedication and the ability to avoid injuries required to reach her level is pretty amazing.; 10/24/19, 1:02 PM
Ralph L said...: The difference is a girl shifts her weight to the leg on the same side as her throwing arm.; 10/24/19, 1:57 PM
stlcdr said...: This should simply be put on the 'mildly interesting' pile. Making it out to be more than it is seems patronizing.

However, the size difference is just above mildly interesting.; 10/24/19, 2:20 PM
readering said...: Pressure on first pitch tomorrow in DC? Probably not. It will be a pitcher and catcher from the orignal team upon the move to DC: Chad Cordero to Brian Schneider.

Per the paper which shall not be subscribed to by the Federal Government (although available for free electronically with government email address):

"For the World Series, individual clubs submit ideas and preferences for pregame and in-game ceremonies — first pitches, anthem singers, and so on. Major League Baseball has final approval."; 10/24/19, 4:49 PM
readering said...: Also, Trump planning to attend Sunday (assuming no sweep).; 10/24/19, 4:51 PM