Kingdome History Month: First Pitch Memories

Today, reader Zach Jones shares his moment of glory in the Kingdome:

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Everyone has special moments in their lives. Along with my wedding, one that belongs in my top three is receiving the honor of throwing out the first pitch in the mighty Kingdome as a 7th grader.

On Friday, May 10, 1991, I attended the pregame rally for the Student Pennant Race, a program where good students got free tickets to see the struggling Mariners. (Might I add that I haven't heard of any such programs at Safeco Field.) Kids and their parents were given free backpacks full of souveniers, treated to free hot dogs and entertainment, and listened to various speakers. Also included in the festivities were several give-aways that ranged from hats to tickets to upcoming games. The grand prize was a new Mariners Starter Jacket and the chance to throw out the "sponsor" first pitch that night. After reading the name of a kid who must've left early, they pulled another name out of the hat. That name was Zach Jones.

I was quickly escorted to the Dome of Kings with my dad, and I warmed up outside the M's locker room, where free popcorn and soda were in abundance. Right before the game, an M's representative walked me out to the mound, and I then threw the pitch from in front of the mound. Any true baseball fan knows that it is "bush league" to toe the rubber before game. It would have been classless to scuff the beautifully manicured centrex. Also doing the classy thing, I elected not to throw it as hard and potentially M-barrass myself with a wild pitch. Instead, I lobbed it in. The picture above shows that I threw a circle-change, right over the outside corner to a waiting Harold Reynolds.

After getting autographs from Reynolds and Ken Griffey Jr., I noticed that the national anthem would be sung that night by A Different World beauty Jasmine Guy. Griffey and Reynolds understandably left me in the dust to flirt with her. I then took my seat on the first base side and watched the M's lose to Baltimore 11-5.

The only sad part of this story is that I will never be able to take my kids to the mighty Kingdome to see a baseball/football/basketball game, concert, monster truck rally, religious gathering, home or boat show. Damn you Paul Allen.