And to throw out the first pitch...

So, I went to the Cardinals-Cubs game on Saturday...a beautiful day, great view, and the first game of the year for me, but let us just avoid talking about how the game turned out...and noticed something I found peculiar.

I'm not talking about the 2:45pm start time, which was a bit different, but must have had something to do with the game being on the Saturday FOX broadcast. No, what was strange was the ceremonial first pitch.

I understand that it is almost a given to have a ceremonial first pitch at a game anymore and have seen many variations--I was even on the field to video my friend throwing one out (contest winner) at Busch a few years ago and also saw G.W. Bush throw out the first one on opening day--but I can't ever remember seeing six before one game before. Yes, six!

It was nice to see U of I basketball coach Bruce Weber...and then some guy from a local Association of whatever...and then a little boy who had suffered a stroke in utero...and then, well I can't remember all of them because they just kept coming out and throwing pitches. Two or three I have seen, but never six. It was weird. I know it doesn't interupt the game and is surely a huge thing to most of those people, but do we really need that many? It just seems a little too...minor league or something--where you have a promotion or gimmick between every half inning.

It was just weird.