The Los Angeles Dodgers figured Chloe Kim would be nervous, so they brought her two drawers of churros.
Kim, the 17-year-old halfpipe gold medalist, was one of a few PyeongChang Olympians to throw ceremonial first pitches as the Major League Baseball season opened in the last week.
“I’m nervous because I was never good at anything that involved a ball,” Kim said before taking the Dodger Stadium mound. “I would always get hit in the face. Like every time I play volleyball, get hit in the face. Pool, get my fingers jammed. So, I’m really nervous, but I think I’ll do OK because I’ve been throwing a lot for my dog [presumably mini Australian Shepherd Reese] when we play fetch.”
“I’ll probably turn into a meme after today ... try to throw it, and then it slips out of my hand and hits me in the head.”
That didn’t happen. Kim bravely threw from the rubber rather than in front of the mound like many ceremonial throwers choose to do. The native of Torrance, Calif., made it to home plate on one bounce on Sunday.
Also on hand was legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, who guided the only U.S. Olympic champion baseball team in 2000.
Other PyeongChang Olympians to throw first pitches included ski slopestyle bronze medalist Nick Goepper at the Cincinnati Reds’ opener on Friday and hockey player Haley Skarupa at a Baltimore Orioles game on Saturday.
Here’s a previous look at some of the most memorable Olympian first pitches.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!
MORE: Best snowboarding moments from PyeongChang Olympics
Chloe Kim’s ceremonial first pitch: pic.twitter.com/dixxnSGq5H
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) April 2, 2018
Thanks for stopping by, @chloekimsnow! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/7GoWbgrqCb
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 2, 2018
.@chloekimsnow and I know a thing or two about winning gold medals. pic.twitter.com/OCnu3Wz3Vl
— Tommy Lasorda (@TommyLasorda) April 2, 2018
