The Worst Celebrity First Pitches Ever

You gotta see these famous people throwing a baseball to believe it.

The Worst Celebrity First Pitches Ever

50 Cent — Proceed with caution.

Nothing good can come from a ceremonial first pitch. As late-night comic Jimmy Kimmel once said, "If it goes well, nobody cares, but if it goes badly, it’s something that can haunt you for the rest of your life."

Haunt may be a bit harsh, but there’s no doubt that plenty of terrible celebrity first pitches are destined to live in baseball lore, and remain the butt of countless jokes.

These are the worst celebrity first pitches in baseball history.

30. Barack Obama

Barack Obama — Just a bit outside.

Date: April 5, 2010

Game: Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals

Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

Day job: Politician

Bottom line: The 44th president had no trouble getting the ball to home plate for the Nationals' 2010 home opener. The issue was how he got it there.

The lofty trajectory of the pitch might have left some wondering whether the devoted basketball fan was trying to throw a strike or shoot a free throw.

29. J.J. Watt

J.J. Watt — Don't try this at home, kids.

Date: Oct. 27, 2017

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston Astros

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

Day job: Football player

Bottom line: In all fairness, throwing a strike while you’re on crutches is probably tougher than trying to block J.J. Watt on the football field.

The Houston Texans' star didn’t let injury deter him from throwing out the first pitch before Game 3 of the 2017 World Series.

And if his catcher (Dallas Keuchel) had done a better job on the receiving end, all may have turned out well.

28. Annika Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam — Ready or not.

Date: May 13, 2008

Game: Washington Nationals at New York Mets

Venue: Shea Stadium, Flushing, Queens, New York

Day job: Golfer

Bottom line: On the same day Annika Sorenstam announced her plans to retire from professional golf, the LPGA legend headed to Shea Stadium to handle first pitch duties at the Mets-Nationals game.

She gripped the ball with the same precision and confidence she did golf clubs during her championship career on the links, but getting the ball to home plate proved a bit more challenging than sinking a birdie.

27. Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney — Game face.

Date: April 11, 2006

Game: New York Mets at Washington Nationals

Venue: Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Day job: Politician

Bottom line: Given Dick Cheney's history of health ailments, the then-vice president looked surprisingly spry and managed to get the ball in the vicinity of home plate on one hop before the Nationals' 2006 home opener.

Of course, that didn’t prevent the boos from raining down, even before he took the mound.

True to form, Vice was nonplussed.

26. Gary Neville

Gary Neville — Throwing a strike is harder than it looks.

Date: June 9, 2011

Game: Oakland Athletics at Chicago White Sox

Venue: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Illinois

Day job: Soccer player

Bottom line: The Manchester United soccer legend showed that his arm is every bit as strong as his leg during his first pitch in 2011, air mailing a ball that seemed headed for the stands rather than home plate.

It resembled one of those shots on goal that sails about 20 feet over the net. Of course, Neville made his name as a defender, so shot-making was never his specialty.

Neither, apparently, is throwing strikes.

25. Charlie Crist

Charlie Crist — This was comically bad.

Date: Oct. 7, 2010

Game: Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays

Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida

Day job: Politician

Bottom line: Charlie Crist was a Republican in 2010 and the governor of Florida. But perhaps his first pitch before this American League Divisional Series playoff game was a harbinger of things to come for him politically.

The pitch sailed wide to the right of home plate. Or far left, depending on your perspective.

A few years later, Crist defected to the Democratic Party.

24. Trent Edwards

Trent Edwards — Hit the target? Nope.

Date: May 14, 2009

Game: New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays

Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Day job: Football player

Bottom line: The journeyman NFL quarterback showed that he still had a long way to go in mastering the four-seam fastball during his first pitch before a Blue Jays-Yankees game in Toronto.

The pitch wound up somewhere between home plate, the dugout and Buffalo. And the performance gave Bills fans little reason to believe their fortunes would turn around the following season.

23. Jordan Leandre

Jordan Leandre — Ouch.

Date: Aug. 16, 2017

Game: Colorado Rockies at Boston Red Sox

Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Day job: Pediatric cancer survivor

Bottom line: Plenty of ceremonial first pitches miss the intended mark. But perhaps only one landed where cancer survivor Jordan Leandre’s errant toss did before this 2017 game.

Leandre, who was wheeled onto the field by David Ortiz on Opening Day in 2006 and had a cameo in the movie "Fever Pitch," missed the catcher but hit a nearby photography below the belt, "where the sun don’t shine."

Leandre’s reaction was part shock, part horror.

22. Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki — A little different than shooting a fall-away jumper.

Date: June 24, 2011

Game: New York Mets at Texas Rangers

Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, Texas

Day job: Basketball player

Bottom line: The Mavericks' legend was still riding high in June 2011 when he arrived at Rangers Ballpark shortly after leading Dallas to its first NBA championship.

Speaking of riding high, so was his fastball, as he airmailed his first pitch.

Only an outstretched effort by the catcher prevented the ball from careening toward the backstop.

21. Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber — Don't think, just throw.

Date: May 3, 2010

Game: Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox

Venue: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago

Day job: Singer, songwriter, actor

Bottom line: The then-16-year-old pop sensation made the most of his first pitch opportunity in 2010.

He shook off his catcher (Mark Buehrle) twice, before launching into a funky delivery motion that brought back memories of Juan Marichal.

As for the pitch itself? Well, let’s just say he got it to home plate, eventually.

20. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan — Maybe it's not a simple game.

Date: Sept. 28, 1998

Game: San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs

Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago

Day job: Basketball player

Bottom line: In a season when Sammy Sosa hit an eye-popping 66 home runs, he was no match for Michael Jordan.

The NBA legend threw the first pitch before the wild-card tiebreaker game, and the ball sailed so far over Sosa’s head that it nearly hit the brick backstop on the fly.

Is this what they taught MJ during his stint with the Birmingham Barons?

19. Tom Brady

Tom Brady — Even a GOAT isn't perfect.

Date: April 13, 2015

Game: Washington Nationals at Boston Red Sox

Venue: Fenway Park, Boston

Day job: Football player

Bottom line: Tom Brady used to be pretty good at baseball and was drafted out of high school in the 18th round by the Montreal Expos as a left-handed-hitting catcher.

Given his background and ability to split defenses with pinpoint passes in the face of pass rushes, you’d think the Patriots' football star would have no problem throwing a strike with the ceremonial first pitch. Think again.

Maybe the six-time Super Bowl champ had a little too much time to think about his delivery before bouncing the pitch for the Red Sox’s 2015 home opener.

18. Chris Rock

Chris Rock — Laughter is the best medicine.

Date: May 28, 2005

Game: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

Venue: Yankee Stadium II, Bronx, New York

Day job: Comedian, actor

Bottom line: When you airmail the first pitch so badly that the catcher doesn’t even attempt to haul it in, you can expect a few laughs.

Chris Rock likely generated as many during his first pitch faux pas as during one of his stand-up routines.

To make matters more comical, his first pitch mate for this game, Adam Sandler, (almost) threw a strike.

17. Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis — The pitch died easy.

Date: May 15, 2019

Game: Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies

Venue: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Day job: Actor

Bottom line: Let’s just say that if Bruce Willis' John McClane was this inaccurate when taking aim at the bad guys in "Die Hard," Hans Gruber might still be on the loose.

The southpaw actor had little zip on his fastball this night as he bounced his first pitch despite positioning himself well in front of the pitcher’s mound.

Phillies fans weren’t kind in their reviews.

16. Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne — Not a happy ending.

Date: May 28, 2011

Game: Cleveland Indians at Tampa Bay Rays

Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg

Day job: Singer, songwriter, actress

Bottom line: Despite setting herself up comfortably close to home plate, the singer-songwriter still couldn’t get the ball to the catcher on a fly. The good news was that Avril Lavigne got a chance to redeem herself after the game by hosting a concert on the field.

Well, it wasn’t all good news. The team had to apologize for some profanities the singer let fly when she experienced technical difficulties during the concert.

It just wasn’t Avril’s night.

15. Kris, Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian

The Kardashians — Seeing quadruple.

Date: May 9, 2009

Game: Washington Nationals at Los Angeles Dodgers

Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California

Day jobs: Media personalities

Bottom line: Whenever the Kardashian girls are together in one place, there’s a good chance something out of the ordinary will occur. So it was when they tried to simultaneously toss first pitches before a Dodgers game in 2009.

The designated Dodgers catchers seemed discombobulated by the shower of misdirected baseballs headed their way.

You’d think one out of four could find the target?

14. Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan — The Ryan Express is a little rusty.

Date: April 1, 2014

Game: New York Yankees at Houston Astros

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston

Day job: MLB executive, Hall of Fame baseball player

Bottom line: If any celebrity should be able to paint the corner with a ceremonial first pitch, you’d think it would be Nolan Ryan, one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

On Opening Day 2014, Ryan headed to the mound in Houston one more time with fellow Astros legend Craig Biggio behind the plate.

The first pitch was much more than just a bit outside, as the rust of retirement proved that Nolan’s no-hit days were long gone.

13. John Wall

John Wall — Nice bounce pass.

Date: June 17, 2011

Game: Baltimore Orioles at Washington Nationals

Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.

Day job: Basketball player

Bottom line: The Washington Wizards' point guard put to rest any thought that he might pull a Michael Jordan and try to switch sports after his first pitch performance before this 2011 Nationals game.

It was unclear whether John Wall was trying to throw a strike or a bounce pass to the catcher.

12. Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson — Olympic pressure is nothing like this.

Date: May 8, 2010

Game: Oklahoma City Red Hawks at Iowa Cubs

Venue: Principal Park, Des Moines, Iowa

Day job: Olympic gymnastics champion

Bottom line: The Olympic gymnast joined the ranks of celebrities whose first pitch landed closer to the pitcher’s mound than home plate before this 2010 minor league game.

But Johnson would redeem herself five years later when she got the call to the big leagues and threw a first-pitch strike at Wrigley Field before getting engaged on the field.

11. Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg — Cy Snoop? Not quite.

Date: June 8, 2016

Game: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres

Venue: Petco Park, San Diego, California

Day job: Rapper

Bottom line: The hip-hop legend didn’t appear nearly as comfortable with a baseball in his hand as a mic.

To Snoop’s credit, his mechanics looked sharp as he went into the wind-up for his first pitch before a 2016 Padres game.

But the pitch took off like one of his songs climbing the charts, and the poor fill-in catcher enlisted for the task never had a chance.

10. Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis — Throwing is tougher than running.

Date: June 18, 2003

Game: Anaheim Angels at Seattle Mariners

Venue: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington

Day job: Olympic track and field champion

Bottom line: The Olympic legend already achieved infamy for his "uh-oh!" national anthem performance during a 1993 Nets-Bulls NBA game. When he strolled to the mound 10 years later to throw out the first pitch before a Mariners contest, it didn’t go any better.

The champion sprinter and long jumper showed that his arm is little better than his voice when it comes to pregame festivities. But just as Lewis didn’t give in when his "Star-Spangled Banner" rendition went from bad to worse, he wasn’t about to let one atrocious short hop deter him from getting it right.

He insisted on a do-over, and after a fielding error in trying to retrieve the ball, Lewis found the catcher’s mitt.

9. Tiffany Hwang

Tiffany Hwang — At least she's got style.

Date: May 6, 2013

Game: Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers

Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles

Day job: Singer

Bottom line: The Girls' Generation singer joined the long list of pop stars who didn’t come close to reaching the desired target during their first pitch.

In Tiffany Hwang’s case, the ball not only hit the ground less than halfway to the plate, but it wasn’t clear whether she was aiming for the catcher or first baseman.

On the plus side, she demonstrated a stylish windup.

8. Jessica Jung

Jessica Jung — Wild pitch.

Date: May 13, 2012

Game: Lotte Giants at LG Twins

Venue: Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Seoul, South Korea

Day job: Singer, actress

Bottom line: One thing is clear. The singers from South Korean pop group Girls’ Generation don’t spend their spare time playing catch. Two of the worst first pitches in baseball history came from the same group.

We give Jessica Jung’s baseball spike before a 2012 LG Twins game in Seoul a slight edge over her bandmate’s wild throw a year later at a Los Angeles Dodgers game.

Jessica’s pink glove broke the tie.

7. Miss Texas Daniella Rodriguez

Daniella Rodriguez — It could have been worse.

Date: August 31, 2016

Game: Oakland Athletics at Houston Astros

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston

Day job: Beauty pageant winner

Bottom line: The only constituency that may be more pitching challenged than South Korean pop singers is Texas beauty pageant winners. Or maybe they just don’t care?

Two years after her Miss Texas predecessor threw a first pitch that would live in infamy, Daniella Rodriguez tried to take first pitch ineptitude to another level.

Unlike Monique Evans, at least Rodriguez used the correct arm motion.

6. Miss Texas Monique Evans

Monique Evans — Bowling for strikes.

Date: August 15, 2014

Game: Los Angeles Angels at Texas Rangers

Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington

Bottom line: Wearing a tiara and striking her best ballet pose, this Miss Texas didn’t seem overly concerned with her delivery during her first pitch before this 2014 game.

Or perhaps she confused a baseball park for a bowling alley as she rolled the ball underhanded.

Is it still considered a terrible first pitch when you don’t even try?

5. Mark Mallory

Mark Mallory — No mulligans, Mr. Mayor.

Date: April 2, 2007

Game: Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds

Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

Day job: Politician

Bottom line: The Cincinnati mayor’s first pitch on Opening Day in 2007 was so effortless, it almost seemed as if he was purposely trying to throw it into the first-base dugout.

A perplexed Eric Davis, who was supposed to be on the receiving end of the pitch, quickly realized this was far beyond the range he covered during his heyday patrolling the Reds' outfield.

The pitch has become so entrenched in Reds lore that the team tweets it out each year before Opening Day.

4. Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey — She'll stick to singing.

Date: May 28, 2008

Game: Yomiuri Giants vs. Rakuten Eagles

Venue: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan

Bottom line: The pop diva became famous for her ability to hit the perfect pitch with her amazing vocal chords. Sadly, that didn’t carry over to her pitching arm when she traveled to Japan in 2008 and was asked to throw out the first pitch at the Tokyo Dome.

In her defense, six-inch heels aren’t the ideal footwear for pitching. In true diva form, Carey seemed more interested in making a fashion statement with her pink leather jacket and oversized shades than accomplishing the task at hand.

Rather than even try to get the ball to the same ZIP code as her catcher, she nonchalantly tossed it a few feet, gave what appeared to be a curtsy, and went on her way.

3. 50 Cent

50 Cent — He's still rich.

Date: May 27, 2014

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets

Venue: Citi Field, Queens, New York

Day job: Rapper

Bottom line: The American rapper appeared to be using his wrong pitching hand when he tossed the first pitch before a 2014 Mets game.

Is he really left-handed? And was he trying to reach the catcher or the photographer positioned halfway to the dugout?

As celebrity first pitches go, 50 Cent’s wasn’t worth even a dime.

2. Carly Rae Jepson

Carly Rae Jepsen — If you don't have anything nice to say, say it was entertaining.

Date: July 14, 2013

Game: Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays

Venue: Tropicana Field

Day job: Singer

Bottom line: During the height of her "Call Me Maybe" fame, Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepson got the call from the Tampa Bay Rays to throw out the first pitch in 2013. What ensued was not so much a pitch but a spike of the ball that would make any NFL receiver proud.

As infamous as the pitch was, the ensuing expression of disbelief on Carly Rae’s face was priceless. T

here’s no maybe about this. She hasn’t gotten many calls to the mound since.

1. Gary "Baba Booey" Dell’Abate

Baba Booey — Oh, the humanity.

Date: May 9, 2009

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets

Venue: Citi Field, Queens

Day job: Radio producer

Bottom line: When your first pitch becomes the subject of a mini-documentary, it’s clear you’ve reached a level of infamy worthy of the title "Worst First Pitch Ever."

A decade after it happened, Gary "Baba Booey" Dell’Abate’s throw remains the standard by which all terrible first pitches are measured (of course, Dell’Abate’s executive producer role for the "Howard Stern Show" played no small role in helping the event take on a life of its own).

It’s one thing for a pop diva to bury a ball into the infield grass, but there’s simply no excuse when an avid New York Mets fan who knows a thing or two about the sport somehow airmails it down the third-base line and nails the umpire.

The reaction by "Baba Booey," a combination of disgust, dismay and outright shame, served as the icing on the cake.