Memorable First Pitches of 2011 Season

Memorable First Pitches of 2011 Season

Roger Staubach

Matt Slocum/AP

Dirk Nowitzki

AP

Dirk Nowitzki was at the center of controversy this week when Major League Baseball officials rejected the Rangers' request to allow Nowitzki to throw the first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series. After much criticism, MLB reversed course and announced that Nowitzki would, in fact, be on the mound Saturday night in Arlington. Here are some other memorable first pitches of the 2011 season, including the one Nowitzki threw out for Texas in June, days after the Mavericks won the NBA title.

Alex Morgan

MCT /Landov

MC Hammer

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Chuck Berry

AP

Curtis "Little Bautista" Hopkins

Nick Turchiaro/Icon SMI

Pam Grier

AP

Larry "Soup Nazi" Thomas

Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Yovanni Gallardo Jr.

Mike McGinnis/Cal Sport Media

Tony the Tiger

Josh Thompson/Cal Sport Media

Richard Gere

AP

Jim Calhoun

REUTERS/Adam Hunger

Gene Simmons

Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE

Green Bay Packers

AP

The Miz (WWE star)

ZUMAPRESS

Wendy Williams

AP

Santa Claus

Steven King/Icon SMI

Tom Willis

AP

Aaron Rodgers

Jeffrey Phelps/AP

PhillieBot

AP

Kareem Abdul Jabar and Bill Sharman

EPA

Larry King

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Robert Redford

REUTERS

Kemba Walker

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Nolan Ryan

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Carl Yastrzemski

Gail Oskin/Getty Images

Josh Duhamel

Chris Williams/Icon SMI

Bobby Cox

AP

Mario Lopez

AP

Earl Weaver

G Fiume/Getty Images

Amanda Blumenherst

AP

Rashard Mendenhall

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

Matt Forte

AP

Fernando Valenzuela

John Cordes/Icon SMI

Chazz Palminteri

Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE

Patrick Kane

Warren Wimmer/Icon SMI

Darth Vader

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

John Franco

AP

Jonah Hill

EPA /Landov

Phil Mickelson

Anthony J. Causi/Icon SMI

Nastia Liukin

Ray Carlin/Icon SMI