Longwood, Florida native and United States Men's National Team midfielder Graham Zusi will throw out the first pitch at the Atlanta Braves versus Detroit Tigers spring training game this afternoon inside Champion Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Zusi's hometown is just 45 minutes from the complex, which he visited often for soccer tournaments throughout his childhood. Today's game marks the opening of the 2013 spring training schedule for both teams and will start at 12:05 p.m. CT.
This is not the first time a Sporting Kansas City player has been gifted with first pitch honors. On August 14, Teal Bunbury, Kei Kamara, Chance Myers and Jimmy Nielsen helped throw out the first pitch prior to the Kansas City Royals 5-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. The game was just six days after Sporting KC secured a shootout victory over the Seattle Sounders FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final at Sporting Park.
Kamara and Nielsen managed a seamless demonstration, but Bunbury and Myers' weren't quite that graceful. Hopefully, Zusi takes a moment to sit down and talk first pitch strategy with Nielsen before his Major League Baseball debut.
Although, it appears Zusi's already one step ahead of us. @MLS_Insider caught him practicing his fast ball this morning at training:
Zusi's looking fierce and on point in that clip, but I'm still a little weary of his catcher's track record...
