Cup check. pic.twitter.com/Gz5QCPjrub
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 16, 2017
Once you’re done watching video of this pitch over and over, since it’s hilarious, let’s break down what exactly is happening here.
The ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park on Wednesday night, being thrown out in front of most of the 1967 Red Sox team and intended for Dream Team member Mike Andrews behind the plate, clearly went horribly wrong.
Sometimes a first pitch can be off the mark, and other times it can be so off the mark that it hits a completely different target — in this case an innocent bystander’s um ... bat and baseballs?
Andrews does his best to leap to catch the ball, to no avail. You can even see Dave Morehead flinching and covering his mouth in shock (or to attempt not to laugh at the victim) in the background.
The perpetrator here, Jordan Leandre, is known to some Sox fans as a former Dana-Farber Cancer Institute patient who sang the national anthem multiple times and ran the bases at Fenway as a child. He also made an appearance in the movie Fever Pitch as the little boy who sings the anthem.
His return to the park tonight could have been just as heartwarming, but instead he made everyone way happier in an unexpected way.
He’s already poking fun at himself, as well as offering his services to the team since Boston’s starting pitcher had a rough start to the game.
Had to get him off the plate somehow ♂️
— Jordan Leandre (@Jordan_BBS) August 16, 2017
E-Rod struggling tonight, it's a shame they didn't leave me in. I was just getting warmed up
— Jordan Leandre (@Jordan_BBS) August 16, 2017
The photographer may not be able to walk without pain for a little while, but he got a great photo out of the moment.
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
He is also already tweeting about the moment, poking fun at himself along with everyone else. It seems like he avoided the worst-case scenario.
THANK THE LAWD it was just a bit outside https://t.co/FLnQffF2Kr
— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) August 16, 2017
I haven't stopped laughing pic.twitter.com/0GWXHXXx8r
— Brad Contardi (@bradcontardi) August 16, 2017
Neither have I https://t.co/l6MxZWhPdG
— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) August 16, 2017
This will go down in history as one of the most hilariously off-the-mark first pitches every to occur.