Everything I’ve read about former Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy suggests that he is, to the extent we can know such things about the rich and powerful, a perfectly pleasant man who cares a lot about Pittsburgh and the Pirates. He’s also a good example for gay people who struggle with their decisions about coming out of the closet. Seems, from afar, like a pretty admirable guy.
But does anyone else besides me think it’s weird that he was asked to throw out the first pitch at the Cards-Pirates game at PNC Park yesterday?
He owned the team from 1996 through 2007, which is a period in Pirates history that makes the actual Dark Ages look like the height of Enlightenment-era Vienna. Those were some bad years for Pirates fans, and McClatchy was on watch then. They were also years in which McClatchy worked hard to get taxpayers to pay for PNC Park, amid threats, however veiled and unlikely they were, that the Pirates could leave Pittsburgh if the public didn’t pony up. Indeed, about 95% of what makes the 2013 Pirates season so wonderful are memories of just how horrifying 1996-through-2007 and a couple of years on either side were.
Yes, I realize a first pitch doesn’t make a lot of difference in the world. But would the Rays ask Vince Naimoli to throw out the first pitch? Would the Dodgers ask Frank McCourt to do the honors? Not saying McClatchy is a bad a guy like those two, but you’d think you’d want to do whatever you can to minimize negative associations.
Can someone call Bill Madlock or Kent Tukulve before today’s game?