On June 20, presumptive first pick in the NBA Draft Victor Wembanyama went viral after hilariously throwing a terrible first pitch at a New York Yankees game. The 7"2 French wonderkid sent the ball wide left, with the pitch barely clipping the batter's box. While by no means the worst first pitch in history, it definitely wasn't great.
The ceremonial first pitch has been a tradition in baseball for over a century. However, it was Ronald Reagan who turned it into the spectacle it is today. Before Reagan's unscheduled pitch at an Orioles game in 1984, the first pitch was thrown from the stands onto the field. Now, it's a whole ceremony in itself, with the guest throwing from the pitcher's mound to home plate. And one person who would love to do it is the broadcasting legend himself, Stephen A. Smith.
Stephen A. Wants To Throw The First Pitch
While discussing Wembanyama's first pitch on First Take, Smith was asked if he has ever thrown the first pitch. "No [and] you know what? I'm shocked that they haven't invited me," Smith began. "Not only would I do a first pitch, I would sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame at a Chicago Cubs game. Only thing I wouldn't do is go to Boston and sing. I can't do that because they're the enemy, I'm a Yankees guy."
When asked if he was sure he wanted to do the first pitch, Smith doubled down. "I am. And not only would I throw out the first pitch, I would throw a strike." It's a bold and hilarious claim from Smith, whose reservoirs of confidence never cease to amaze. It's just the latest in a line of memorable moments from Smith this week. Elsewhere, he had something of a meltdown while expressing his displeasure with Julius Randle. Meanwhile, he made his thoughts on Ron DeSantis very clear. It's fair to say that Smith's daily antics bring us all a little bit of sunshine.
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