What is the first ceremonial pitch in baseball?

The ceremonial first pitch is a long-standing baseball tradition in which a special guest throws a ball to signal the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game.

Originally, the guest threw a ball from their grandstand seat to the home team’s pitcher or catcher, but the ritual changed after US President Ronald Reagan threw the first pitch on the pitch during an unscheduled appearance at a Baltimore Orioles game.

The visitor now stands in front of the pitcher’s mound and throws to home plate. The ceremonial thrower will occasionally stand on the mound (as a pitcher would). The pitcher is usually a member of the opposing team.

The Texas Rangers put a unique spin on the first pitch tradition on April 23, 2012. The Rangers held an official retirement ceremony for longtime catcher Iván Rodrguez before their home game against the New York Yankees.

Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, threw the first pitch of the 2020 MLB season on July 23, 2020, after it had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.