Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin
If you attend or watch a baseball game on TV, you’re going to see a ceremonial first pitch. Most are thrown by local community members or celebrities. But sometimes, the marketing department thinks outside the (batter’s) box and brings in some… unusual choices. Here are 10 examples of those.
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Darth Vader Throws Out the First Pitch
Can Darth Vader get the ball over the plate? The Dark Lord of the Sith was disturbed by the crowd’s lack of faith when he strode to the mound. He took a couple of mechanical breaths and threw the ball. His old mentor, Obi-Wan, might have done a Jedi Mind Trick to make the crowd think it was good.
Raptor Costume Captivates Crowd Before Game
How good was this costume? Even the TV announcer was bellowing that he wanted it for his kid. The person inside made it look so lifelike and even got off a good chuck to the Padres mascot before wandering off.
RoboCop Delivers Detroit Tigers’ Ceremonial First Pitch
First things first… this was the RoboCop outfit from the reboot, not the one with Peter Weller. Still, he impressed as he walked, accompanied by the Tigers mascot and a woman holding a sign that said “RoboCop Day. Go Tigers!” The law enforcement officer didn’t need laser sights to throw a strike.
The Walking Dead Chase First Pitch Thrower on Zombie Night
It was weird from the start. The person who was throwing the first pitch was wearing a uniform with no name on it, of course. If someone has a name in a zombie movie, they usually live. He threw the pitch, which clanked off the catcher’s shin guard, since he made no attempt to catch it. After a moment, the catcher stood up and took off his mask to reveal… a zombie! Oh no! The person who threw the pitch ran away as other zombies lumbered onto the field in chase. Braaaaaiiiiiins!
Emirates Airline Flight Attendant Throws Better Heat Than Orel Hershiser
It was a scene from an ’80s movie. Orel Hershiser took the mound with a group of Emirates Air flight attendants behind him. He was about to throw the pitch, then turned and handed his glove and ball to one of the attendants. She gleefully took the ball, looked in for the sign, and threw a strike to Dave Roberts. The only thing missing was a Simple Minds anthem playing in the background.
Toomgis Throws Out The First Pitch
Okay, I’m not gonna lie. When I first saw this from the back, I thought it was one of the “Where the Wild Things Are” monsters wearing a Dodgers cap. Turns out it was Toomgis, the mascot for the AMPM convenience stores. If you look closely, he’s made up of different kinds of snacks. It’s just a coincidence that he looks like Justin Turner.
PhillieBot the Robot’s Wild First Pitch for the Philadelphia Phillies
Talk about an arm that never tires. In 2011, PhillieBot rolled out to the mound at Citizens Bank Park, wound up its mechanical arm, and tossed a pitch to the Phillie Phanatic. No, the team didn’t sign it to a contract right after that.
Marlins Mascot Billy Catches a Catapult First Pitch
If this was a movie, this is where the scene would freeze and a voiceover would say, “You’re probably wondering how I got here…” A team of science students built a catapult to throw the first pitch, and Billy the Marlin was chosen to catch it. He probably asked for hazard pay.
Paddington Throws Out First Pitch
Apparently, Paddington didn’t have his favorite marmalade before throwing this pitch—it didn’t hit the mark. As fellow bear Winnie the Pooh would say, “Oh bother…”
“Biggy” Throws Out First Pitch
No, this wasn’t Biggie Smalls. It was Biggy Bigfoot. The big guy came out of hiding, delivered a first-pitch strike, and then went back into seclusion.