John Elway. John Hickenlooper. Joe Sakic. The Pope. President Bush – or anybody but President Bush. Household names and original Blake Street bombers. Me, me and me. Tom Tancredo? These were among the suggestions fans across Denver would like the Rockies to consider when deciding who should throw out the first pitch at Coors Field during the World Series. Some fan suggestions are political. Some are self-aggrandizing. The guy who suggested John Denver is way behind the times.
Baseball is a game of time-honored traditions, and the throwing of the first pitch is one.
Celebrities and politicians have done the honors, including sitting presidents such as Woodrow Wilson in 1915 and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 and 1936.
The last opening pitch by a sitting president was thrown by Bush in 2001, in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
While Major League Baseball has some say in who will send out the first World Series pitch in Coors Field, it’s mostly up to the team, league spokesman Michael Teevan said.
“We strive to invite someone who fits the moment, particularly for the home crowd. The ceremonial first pitch is a terrific way to engage the fans,” Teevan said.
The team and MLB will send out invitations and make an announcement about who will throw out the first pitch in the days leading up to the series, Teevan said. In previous World Series, teams with storied pasts have tapped their own legends.
The Rockies are as short on legends as they are on history. But there are some people the team should consider who have contributed to the club and to Colorado sports in general, fans say.
Some fans suggested Eric Young, one of the original Rockies who homered in Mile High Stadium on the new team’s first home at-bat.
Also, Rich “Goose” Gossage, considered the most accomplished baseball player from Colorado, who never played for the Rockies but who, some argue, belongs in the Hall of Fame.
Others have suggested the children of Mike Coolbaugh, the coach of the Tulsa Drillers – the Rockies’ Double-A farm team – who was killed July 22 by a line-drive foul ball.
Here are some other suggestions by Rockies fans:
Ryan Bruggers, 24, of Denver: “Federico Peña, because he’s the one who did the big push to get the team here in the first place. Without him, we wouldn’t have the Rockies. If not Peña? Then Salma Hayek, just because she’s beautiful.”
Shavon Burt, 25, of Westminster: “Chauncey Billups, because he’s a native. I’m sure he’s equally as proud of the Rockies as the rest of the state and equally as shocked by the Rockies’ success as the rest of us.”
Kamesha Hodges, 25, of Denver: “Carmelo Anthony, because we need to give him something else to do. Or John (Joe) Sakic, because he’s got really pretty eyes. His eyes are just beautiful.”
Clayton Roles, 29, of Denver: “Don Baylor, the Rockies’ first manager, because he was with the team in the early years and laid the foundation.”
Manny Gonzales: 303-954-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com
