86th AW CC tees up KMC baseball season

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lane T. Plummer
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The Kaiserslautern Military Community celebrated the start of the 2016 baseball season for all leagues with a ceremonial first pitch April 23, 2016, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The guest of honor who threw the pitch was Brig. Gen. Jon T. Thomas, 86th Airlift Wing commander.

Dating back to 1910 when then-president William Howard Taft originated it for the U.S., the first pitch is a longstanding ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame activities and the start of the season.

According to Bernard Fleming, 86th Force Support Squadron youth program director, it's a tradition that the KMC holds dear by performing the ritual each year.

"The opening day ceremonies have been a part of this community for as long as I can remember," said Fleming. "They give the kids, parents, spectators and command the perfect opportunity to see the actual size of our program first hand."

From tee-ball to high school baseball, the age groups participating in the event ranged from 4 to 17 and the ceremony began with a parade of players holding custom signs that displayed pride for their team. They did so as the large crowd of more than 4000 people cheered them on.

According to Brook Sands, 86th FSS youth program director, the raw emotions people feel are part of what makes the ceremony's atmosphere so exciting.

"For the kids, coaches and parents, it's a very proud moment to see their kids in the parade, in their team and in their uniform in front of so many spectators," said Sands.

Once all the teams are on the pitch, the commander walked onto the field to mark the beginning of a new baseball season with the first pitch.

This season, more than 800 players will demonstrate their one-team, one-fight spirits by playing 340 games in a span of eight weeks within the KMC.