Okay, so I got this crazy idea to try and replicate Nolan Ryan’s first pitch. I mean, the dude is a legend, right? So, I started by watching a bunch of videos online. Just trying to get a feel for his motion, you know?
Then, I headed out to my backyard. I don’t have a proper mound, but I do have a slightly elevated patch of dirt. Good enough, I figured.
My Makeshift Setup
- “Mound”: Patch of dirt.
- “Ball”: Beat-up old baseball I found in the garage.
- “Catcher”: My trusty old fence. It’s taken a beating over the years.
First few throws? Woof. Way off. I almost took out a window, not gonna lie. It was tricky to get the winding and leg action down from watching a pro to backyard practice.
I kept at it, though. I focused on that high leg kick, trying to mimic Ryan’s power. I tried to visualize myself on a real mound, in front of a crowd. Cheesy, I know, but it kinda helped!
After, like, an hour, I was actually starting to get some decent throws in. Still nowhere near Nolan Ryan’s speed or accuracy, obviously, but I was hitting the fence more often than not. And no more broken windows!
My arm was definitely feeling it by the end. I iced it down and called it a day. It was a fun little experiment, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for what those pro pitchers do. Seriously, it’s way harder than it looks!
