Duck! Lauren's Pitching

By Lauren Sivan

Athletics have never been one of my strengths. So when News 12 Asked me to throw out the first pitch at a Long Island Ducks Game, naturally I started laughing. Has everyone at News 12 already done it? Has everyone on Long Island already done it?

But our promotions director, Jodie Remick, was relentless. After weeks of nagging and the promise of a pro-ball player coaching me before the big day, I relented. I began to fantasize about working side by side with Jaba or Johan.

Imagine my delight when I was told, "Yeah, we couldn't get any ball players, but Michael Coleman has 5 minutes if you want to meet him in the parking lot." Beggars can't be choosers.

Michael Coleman showed me some strange new Texas-backhand-wind-up that wasn't quite working for me.

Coleman gave me some much needed wardrobe advice (lose the heels) and showed me a few basics. But he quickly became frustrated after running all over our industrial park, chasing my errant balls. After about 10 min he threw in the towel and we both silently prayed for a "rain out" on Sunday.

But Sunday arrived and to my misfortune, the skies cleared. Even Mother Nature didn't want to miss the predictable blooper that would emerge from Citibank Park that evening. I didn't bother to blow-dry my hair or even put on pants. I figured I was about to humiliate myself--might be better off if no one recognizes me.

As I walked onto the field, Bud Harrelson came out of the dugout, took one look at me and said, "Let me give you a few pointers first." Little did he know a "few pointers" wasn't gonna cut it. I politely accepted his suggestions but barely retained a word because all I could concentrate on was the huge JumboTron this debacle was going to be transmitted over. At least they spelled my name right.

The only time I will ever see my name on the board at a ball game....and no, that's not a picture of me on there. That's a Muppet.

As I marched up to the mound to get this over with--I told myself,  "Could be worse: You could be singing the National Anthem!"

Everyone had tips for me before the big pitch including this guy, photographer Pete Cinante's nephew.

I realized no one was instructing me where to throw it from, so rather than try and be a hero, I stepped in front of the mound, wound up and gave it all I had. To my shock and awe it went over Buddy's head forcing him to jump up and back to catch it. After grounding ball after ball practicing, I was delighted to see one finally take flight. I was so impressed with myself I didn't notice the Duck's MC desperately trying to usher me off the field so they could start the game. If I had known I'd throw a half-decent ball, I would have wore lip gloss!

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't anything for the record books. And so far no one from the News 12 Softball team has tried to recruit me but at least I know there's one thing I can do better than Mariah Carey.

And P.S.-- Ducks Won!

Comments

[larry c j]

HI LAUREN
I have to say that first pitch at the ducks ball game you made was good, a little high but good,I mean in front of that large crowd you had to be a little nerves,a nice 93 MPH fast ball from you would have bin good to.I would have a ruff time hitting a pitch from you,I would not be looking at the ball,good job Lauern YOU TAKE CARE AND BE SAFE.

[Miguel de Cervantes]

Te adoro, Lauren ! Te necesito ! Eres el amor de mi vida ! Quieres casarte conmigo ? Yo quiero Taco Bell !!

[Dante Alighieri]

Carissima Lauren Sivan, ti amo con tutta l'anima !

[William Shakespeare]

"Basta" with all this poetry stuff !

Lauren is gorgeous, but enough is ENOUGH !

[Chrissy]

Never lose the heels girlfriend!

[Edgar Allen Joe]

I will start this story by saying I should have marked the date.
Cause history was made in Islip on July 6, 2008.
Many baseball pitchers have been placed in the Hall of Fame.
But on this date, Ducks Stadium, they were all put to shame.
There were guys who could throw fast, like Nolan Ryan.
Guys coudln't even touch the ball, and I ain't lying.
Then there was Phil Neikro who threw a knuckleball.
Guys took a swing but would hit nothing at all.
But on this day came a pitcher even better then the legend Warren Spahn.
It was a pitcher with the best curves, that's right News 12 Lauren Sivan.

[Bob]

Lauren, good job on the pitch. You looked much better than Mariah, but sorry to say, Erin looked way better than both of you.

[Pat]

Hey Lauren, great job throwing out the first pitch at the Ducks game!!! Saw the video that night of it. Wish I could've been there in person for it. You definately did a better job than Mariah Carey, and looked better doing it :). The Yankees can use someone like you on their pitching squad!!!

[joe]

hey lauren, i guess all the others got the memo on daily blogging, haven't seen so much from the whole lot of them. you sure that was a muppet on the jumbothon, it looked like ken grimwall, or lauren sivan, geez it is so hard to tell you all apart.
nice pitch, you should have thrown a brush back pitch at him, let him know you mean business.
heck with the pants, show those nice toned legs off instead.

[jason]

Well, Lauren, your pitching control (or lack-there-of) will never be mistaken for Mariano Rivera's command of the strike zone, but hey, look on the bright side, at least your pitch wasn't so bad that it made all of Long Island embarrassed by you...like say how it did for all Cincinnati natives when their mayor did this...http://www.funnyhub.com/videos/pages/videos/bad-first-pitch.html

[Francis Scott Key]

Great pitch, Lauren ! ( And an even greater catch by the great Bud Harrelson !! ) And by the way, Lauren, I'd be proud to have you sing my anthem at any ballgame ANYTIME !

[getosama]

nick, you're right! she's totally being collared.......i m noticing a bird theme here- first the chicken thread and now ducks? and i will hopefully be leading my very own PETA protest at my local KFC. birds rule! including chicks!

[nick]

hey lauren that picture of you and michael coleman looks more like your about to be put in the back of a police car. too bad i dont know how to use photo shop or i would turn coleman into a cop and send it to you