Baseball is a game that stands on tradition, albeit a tradition that is always evolving. The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of the game that dates back to at least 1890, when governors, mayors and local celebrities were invited to be part of the pregame festivities. Over the years, the honor has been extended to sitting presidents, athletes from other sports, and entertainers, often resulting in embarrassing moments that will live on forever through the magic of video and social media.
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Baseball is a game that stands on tradition, albeit a tradition that is always evolving. The ceremonial first pitch is a longstanding ritual of the game that dates back to at least 1890, when governors, mayors and local celebrities were invited to be part of the pregame festivities. Over the years, the honor has been extended to sitting presidents, athletes from other sports, and entertainers, often resulting in embarrassing moments that will live on forever through the magic of video and social media.
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The inclusion of these crossover stars has also made for some quality on-the-mound sneaker moments. Many remember the Air Jordans 50 Cent was wearing when he went wide left as much as they do the erroneous pitch itself. With MLB set to open the 2019 season today, here's a rundown of the 25 best sneakers worn for ceremonial first pitches.
25.Cris Carter
Shoe: Nike KD 5 Elite
When: 05/06/13
24.Jake Gyllenhaal
Shoe: Air Jordan 4 Retro "Dunk From Above"
When: 04/18/16
23.Johnny Manziel
Shoe: Nike LeBron 10 "Pressure"
When: 04/07/13
22.Nick Young
Shoe: Air Jordan 1 Retro "UNC Patent"
When: 04/23/14
21.Nate Robinson
Shoe: Air Jordan 4 Retro "Mist Blue"
When: 06/30/13
20.Steve Aoki
Shoe: Rick Owens x Adidas Runner
When: 04/19/15
19.DJ AM
Shoe: Nike Dunk High "Haze"
When: 08/23/09
18.50 Cent
Shoe: Air Jordan 4 "Cavs"
Date: 05/27/14
17.Chance the Rapper
Shoe: Bape x UNDFTD x Adidas ZX 5000
When: 04/08/16
16.Major Wright
Shoe: Air Jordan 7 Retro "GMP"
When: 04/22/13
15.Tim Jennings
Shoe: Air Jordan 9 Retro "Cool Grey"
When: 04/26/13
14.Jerry Seinfeld
Shoe: Nike Air Structure Triax '98
When: 06/26/98
13.Nick Cannon
Shoe: Air Jordan 8 Retro "Bugs"
When: 05/07/13
12.Colin Kaepernick
Shoe: Air Jordan 1 Retro "Chicago"
When: 06/21/13
11.Devin Booker
Shoe: Air Jordan 12 Retro "OVO"
When: 09/16/15
10.Snoop Dogg
Shoe: Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 "Pirate Black"
When: 06/08/16
9.Big Boi
Shoe: Air Jordan 5 Retro "Fire Red"
When: 05/02/13
8.Malcolm Smith
Shoe: Air Jordan 1 Retro "Black Toe"
When: 07/11/14
7.Kevin Garnett
Shoe: Air Jordan 11 Retro Low "Concord"
When: 04/13/15
6.Bun B
Shoe: SoleFly x Air Jordan 3 Retro
When: 09/16/14
5.Patrick Peterson
Shoe: Air Jordan 4 Retro "Cement"
When: 10/02/12
4.Chris Paul
Shoe: Air Jordan 1 Retro "Royal"
When: 04/02/13
3.Wale
Shoe: Air Jordan 3 Retro '88
When: 06/23/13
2.Marlon Wayans
Shoe: Air Jordan 3 Retro "Black Cement"
When: 04/06/14
1.Reggie Bush
Shoe: Air Jordan 11 Retro "DMP"
Date: 04/03/06