Topic: 4/16: Garrett Reisman to throw first pitch from space at Yankees vs. Red Sox game
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-14-2008 06:05 PM
New York Yankees release
quote:Yankees to hold ceremonial first pitch from space
The New York Yankees announced today that NASA astronaut Dr. Garrett Reisman will throw out the ceremonial first pitch from the International Space Station prior to the Yankees' game vs. the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, April 16. It will be the first-ever ceremonial first pitch thrown from space in Yankee Stadium's history.
Reisman, 40, docked at the International Space Station on Wednesday, March 12, carrying dirt from the Yankee Stadium pitcher's mound, a Yankees banner and a hat autographed by Yankees Principal Owner George M. Steinbrenner.
"Launching on the space shuttle and living aboard the International Space Station is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Reisman said. "But as a lifelong Yankees fan, throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees-Red Sox game is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I am really honored to have this opportunity in such a historic season in the House that Ruth Built, and I would like to thank the Yankees for being so supportive of our mission up here in space. From Earth's orbit, but still deep inside the Yankees Universe, let me say, 'Go Yanks!'"
A native of Parsippany, N.J., and a lifelong Yankees fan, Dr. Reisman is making his first trip into space as a member of the Expedition 16 and Expedition 17 crews. Currently, he is in the midst of a planned four-month stay aboard the International Space Station, which is located over 200 miles away from the Earth's surface. Reisman conducted his first-ever space walk on March 13 and is conducting numerous tasks with the Space Station's Robotic Arm and robotic manipulator, Dextre. He was launched into space on March 11, 2008, aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour and is scheduled to return aboard the space shuttle Discovery in June.
Dr. Reisman was originally selected by NASA as a Mission Specialist in 1998 when he began his astronaut training. In June 2003, Dr. Reisman was a crewmember on NEEMO V, living on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius habitat for two weeks.
BMckay Member
Posts: 3218 From: MA, USA Registered: Sep 2002
posted 04-15-2008 07:05 AM
I'll bet the first pitch will be a ball since it is coming from a Yankees fan...
Bryan From Home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox
Cliff Lentz Member
Posts: 655 From: Philadelphia, PA USA Registered: Mar 2002
posted 04-15-2008 07:54 AM
quote:Originally posted by BMckay: I'll bet the first pitch will be a ball since it is coming from a Yankees fan...
Bryan, I guess you weren't thrilled to see that giant Yankee banner Garrett unveiled on the station on a recent press event!
Cliff
KSCartist Member
Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
posted 04-15-2008 08:14 AM
Is that a banner? I thought it was a giant piece of toilet tissue.
Wouldn't it have been fun to have Garrett Reisman and Suni Williams serve during the same Expedition?
GO RED SOX!
Tim
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-15-2008 08:22 AM
Back in January, after the ISS Expedition 17 press conference when then-prime Korean astronaut Ko San said he would bring dirt from both South and North Korea to mix in space, representing the unification of his country, I spoke to Garrett Reisman, who said that Ko's plan had provided him an idea, in light of the fact that he was already set to fly a small vial of Yankee Stadium dirt...
"I thought that was so beautiful, I thought that was such a great image and such great symbolism, it got me to thinking that maybe I should get some dirt from Fenway Park and then I can mingle the Yankee Stadium dirt with the Fenway Park dirt from the Red Sox, and I could take that and do it in space... Nahhhhh! Some conflicts are just not meant to be resolved."
MCroft04 Member
Posts: 1634 From: Smithfield, Me, USA Registered: Mar 2005
posted 04-15-2008 12:05 PM
Rumor has it that there is a Red Sox jersey "buried" somewhere on the ISS!
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1255 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 04-15-2008 02:16 PM
This is just a copycat deal for the Yankees. Suni Williams already has done all this. So Red Sox Nation beat out the Evil Empire on this one.
posted 04-15-2008 03:16 PM
Ya, I will bet Garrett will be throwing the first pitch from space, because he doesn't want to go through the South Bronx to get to Yankees Stadium.
Steve, we, up here in the City of Champions, don't dwell on the distant past.
Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
posted 04-15-2008 03:27 PM
Robert do I detect a preference in your posts? As moderator aren't you supposed to be neutral?
Actually, I'm happy Garrett gets to do this. He's a loyal fan (of the wrong team - but loyal) and I know this is a thrill for him.
The Red Sox won't let that stop them from putting a hurt on the boys from the Bronx.
Tim
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-15-2008 03:34 PM
quote:Originally posted by KSCartist: Robert do I detect a preference in your posts? As moderator aren't you supposed to be neutral?
Sorry, you can remove the moderator from New Jersey and New York, but you can never remove the Yankees-bias from this moderator.
Cliff Lentz Member
Posts: 655 From: Philadelphia, PA USA Registered: Mar 2002
posted 04-15-2008 03:36 PM
Just love the banter going on here. I think you guys must have sat behind me at one time or another at a Phillies game!
Cliff From the home of the Philadelphia Phillies (Hey, at least we made the playoffs last year!)
Mike Z Member
Posts: 451 From: Ellicott City, Maryland Registered: Dec 2005
posted 04-15-2008 06:50 PM
GO YANKEES!! If any team should have their logo on the ISS it's the Bronx Bombers!!
The Yankees were great to work with when I was in baseball with guys like: Thurman, Catfish, Billy Martin, Yogi, Bobby Mercer, Sparky Lyle, Tommy John, Guidry, The Goose, Reggie, Winfield, Don Baylor, Mattingly, Dent and so on. Also cannot forget the greats, Ruth, Gehrig, Joltin' Joe, Mantle and Marris! And Equipment Manager Pete Sheehy who put the Yankees in uniform for over 60 years including the Babe and Gehrig!!
Robert, where from New Jersey are you from?
Mike Z
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-15-2008 07:06 PM
As my NASA bio would read if I was an astronaut:
quote:Born January 14, 1976 in Livingston, New Jersey, but considers West Orange, New Jersey, to be his hometown.
(Later it would mention I lived in midtown Manhattan for a year while serving as a producer for SPACE.com.)
Lou Chinal Member
Posts: 1306 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 04-16-2008 07:29 AM
Robert-
I think there were a few guys from New Jersey. Schirra, Aldrin, Schweickart. I think there may have been a gal in the mix also - Sullivan?
Well anyway I sure they are all YANKEE fans.
-Lou
Larry McGlynn Member
Posts: 1255 From: Boston, MA Registered: Jul 2003
posted 04-16-2008 08:10 AM
You know I have been thinking about New Jersey. They aren't a burough of New York City or a colony of New York state.
They have become a state of champions too. The Devils won two NHL Championships, the Nets have won their basketball divisions. Princeton won the NCAA Lacrosse Championships and the New Jersey Giants won the Super Bowl this year.
Maybe they need a pro baseball team in the state too. At least they have some history at being winners recently.
------------------ Larry McGlynn A Tribute to Apollo www.apollotribute.blogspot.com
LoneStarScouter unregistered
posted 04-16-2008 08:25 AM
quote:Originally posted by KSCartist: Is that a banner? I thought it was a giant piece of toilet tissue.
More like used toilet tissue!!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-16-2008 10:47 AM
NASA.gov feature Station Astronaut Throws Ultimate Fastball for Yankees
quote:Astronaut Garrett Reisman has thrown the ultimate fastball for the New York Yankees, a pitch that clocked in at better than five miles a second. But the throw was high -- at least 220 miles above the plate -- aboard the International Space Station, where Reisman is orbiting Earth as a member of the 17th resident crew.
Reisman's ceremonial pitch will debut when it opens the Yankees' game vs. the Boston Red Sox on April 16. It is the first-ever ceremonial pitch thrown from space in Yankees' history, and although it was a bit high, it was near at least part of the Yankee infield.
An avid fan and a native of Parsippany, N.J., Reisman brought along a few items to help him feel at home during his stay. With him on the station is a sample of dirt from the Yankee Stadium pitcher's mound, a Yankees banner and a Yankees hat.
During his flight, Reisman regularly keeps up with the Yankees' progress via news feeds provided by Mission Control, Houston.
Reisman launched to the station aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on March 11, docking to the complex on March 13 to join the station's Expedition 16 crew. He remains aboard the complex to join the Expedition 17 crew this week, and he is scheduled to return to Earth aboard the shuttle Discovery in May, completing three months in orbit. The station circles Earth every 90 minutes, traveling at a speed of 17,400 miles per hour.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 04-16-2008 12:39 PM
There have been a "few guys" that hail from New Jersey. Rutgers lists:
Schirra (Hackensack), Aldrin (Montclair - he still has family in Monmouth Co and a distant relative that used to work in the Southern Regional School District, Ocean Co.), Ham (Plainfield), the two Kellys (Orange), Linteris (Demarest), Pailes (Hackensack), Polansky (Edison), Reisman (Morristown), Sullivan (Paterson), and Zamka (Jersey City).
Cenker worked/works in NJ, think he lives here too. Hart (not me) worked in the state, and Runco was a NJ state trooper. Shepard attended Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach. Olsen works (and lives, I think) in Princeton, and has family in Lacey (which is why I fought - and won - to cover Olsen when he appeared at a Lacey school.)
There may be more - payload specialists or candidates or alternates - but I don't have my list on hand.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 04-16-2008 12:44 PM
Oh, yeah - one of the guys here at work sent John Blaha an Asbury Park (NJ) Press T-shirt to wear, which he did on board Mir. The T-shirt, if I remember correctly, was of a New York Yankees World Series win, which would place it as the 1996 win over Atlanta.
KSCartist Member
Posts: 2896 From: Titusville, FL USA Registered: Feb 2005
posted 04-16-2008 06:28 PM
The game started at 7PM on ESPN HD but I didn't see any first pitch by Reisman. Did anyone else see it?
Tim
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
quote:It was one short toss for mankind, and one giant leap for the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.
NASA astronaut Dr. Garrett Reisman threw out a ceremonial first pitch from the International Space Station prior to the Yankees' game against the Red Sox on Wednesday, the first ceremonial first pitch thrown from space in Yankee Stadium's history.
It was, as you would only expect from a rivalry that once prominently featured Bill "Spaceman" Lee, out of this world. Reisman was displayed on the right-field video board, shown wearing a Yankees cap, a navy blue T-shirt bearing the "NY" insignia and jeans.
Floating in a walkway of the space station and introduced to cheers, Reisman said that he is enjoying his stay at the space station but looked forward to getting back with the Bleacher Creatures and cheering on his favorite Yankees like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano.
"There are many nations and there is only one universe, and it's a Yankee universe," Reisman said, drawing more cheers before uncorking a pitch that floated past the camera.
Epilogue (and above image) courtesy of Reuters:
quote:The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 15-9 on a night when an astronaut tossed the ceremonial first pitch, earned run averages soared and hitters were sky high on Wednesday.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42986 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-17-2008 06:21 PM
"There's only one universe, and I'm here to tell you, that it is a Yankee universe..." — Garrett Reisman, ISS Flight Engineer.
LoneStarScouter unregistered
posted 04-17-2008 09:40 PM
Yes, I am an Astros fan but Red Sox Nation still rocks!!! I have tickets for the Friday night game at Minute Maid Park in June. Looking forward to a good game. Just hope our Stros can start getting it together soon..
APG85 Member
Posts: 306 From: Registered: Jan 2008
posted 04-18-2008 04:46 AM
Ahh, New Jersey. Also my home state. My mother was a childhood friend of a guy who went to school with Aldrin...
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 3445 From: Toms River, NJ Registered: Aug 2000
posted 04-18-2008 02:21 PM
Knew there were more: Jerry Rij, DoD MSE, born in Elizabeth; and Paul Sefchek, also a DoD MSE, born in Perth Amboy.
posted 04-14-2008 06:05 PM
advertisement