Astronaut to throw first pitch for Yankees

Presented by http://collectSPACE.com — The Source for Space History and Artifacts.

Astronaut Garrett Reisman has thrown the ultimate fastball for the New York Yankees, a pitch that clocked in at better than five miles a second. But the throw was high -- at least 220 miles above the plate -- aboard the International Space Station, where Reisman is orbiting Earth as a member of the 17th resident crew.

Reisman's ceremonial pitch will debut when it opens the Yankees' game vs. the Boston Red Sox on April 16. It is the first-ever ceremonial pitch thrown from space in Yankees' history, and although it was a bit high, it was near at least part of the Yankee infield.

An avid fan and a native of Parsippany, N.J., Reisman brought along a few items to help him feel at home during his stay. With him on the station is a sample of dirt from the Yankee Stadium pitcher's mound, a Yankees banner and a Yankees hat.

On April 15, 2008, collectSPACE.com spoke with Reisman from on-board the ISS about the first pitch.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Yankees
• first
• pitch
• astronaut
• Red
• Sox
• fastball
• space
• station

[yankees032778]

The yankees aren't America's team, because everyone hates us because of how amazingly good we are. And seriously, any baseball in any other country are yankees fans, so we have the world by our side. suck on that red sox nation

[m16204]

What happened was the guy was a diehard Yankees fan and it was a NASA publicity stunt ! ! ! !

[Ryan198416]

If Hank Steinbrenner will resort to this then it proves he really is afraid of the Red Sox. Seriously, all of this shit to prove the Yankees are "Americas team"? someone needs to send Hank into Orbit.