Photo By Shawna Keyes | Tech. Sgt. David Kelly (right), 4th Security Forces Squadron anti-terrorism program...... read more read more
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The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the start of a game.
“We provide an opportunity for our service members to throw out the first pitch as a way to honor them and show our appreciation for what they do,” said Patrick Ennis, Carolina Mudcats director of promotions and sales executive. “They put their lives on hold and go overseas to defend this country while we’re at home enjoying the freedom and liberties that they are defending. This is just a small token of our gratitude for what they do.”
Kelly, along with his wife Sarah, his aunt and cousin, Kim and Kaitlin Toxey, attended the game.
“If there’s one word to describe how I felt, it would have to be ecstatic,” Kelly said. “There are hundreds of men and women that deploy from the 4th Fighter Wing every year and to be selected to represent our Airmen at an event that’s meant to honor the men and women of our Armed Forces is extraordinary. I was honored and extremely appreciative. I’m a huge baseball fan and I have always wondered what it would be like to be selected to throw out the first pitch.”
In addition to Kelly’s first pitch, the Mudcats honored a Gold Star family, handed out military themed hats to kids, and played a video from the team’s mascot, Muddy, filmed during a recent visit to Seymour Johnson Air Force base, North Carolina.
The Mudcat’s finished the day’s events by beating the Winston-Salem Dash 7-4.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2016 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 201224 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 32 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SJ Airman throws the first pitch, by Shawna Keyes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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