Fans have pretty low expectations for the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game. Nobody really expects a fastball in the strike zone — all you have to do is not embarrass yourself.
Unfortunately, that's too high of a bar for some people, and musicians have been known to throw out some of the worst first pitches of all time. From dribblers that only fly a few feet to lobs that sail over the backstop, some artists have gone down in the history books for their terrible arms. Let's just say that these musicians don't have perfect pitch.
Here, in alphabetical order, are seven of the worst first pitches of all time by musicians.
50 Cent
May 27, 2014, in Queens, NY
Curtis Jackson is a leftie! Wearing a New York Mets jersey, the southpaw threw a fairly spicy fastball, but it was all velocity and no control, since he whipped it far left, flying well outside of the batter's box. The real MVP was the cameraman with nerves of steel, who didn't even flinch as the ball whistled past him.
Steve Aoki
May 16, 2022, in Boston, MA
EDM DJ Steve Aoki opened the Red Sox–Astros game with possibly the wildest first pitch ever. It flew high over the backstop, rolling on top of the netting behind home plate. We can't help but feel like Aoki is doing a bit (possibly inspired by his cake-throwing schtick), since surely there's no way he threw it that far by accident. His pitch was as over-the-top as his production style.
Unfortunately, that's too high of a bar for some people, and musicians have been known to throw out some of the worst first pitches of all time. From dribblers that only fly a few feet to lobs that sail over the backstop, some artists have gone down in the history books for their terrible arms. Let's just say that these musicians don't have perfect pitch.
Here, in alphabetical order, are seven of the worst first pitches of all time by musicians.
50 Cent
May 27, 2014, in Queens, NY
Curtis Jackson is a leftie! Wearing a New York Mets jersey, the southpaw threw a fairly spicy fastball, but it was all velocity and no control, since he whipped it far left, flying well outside of the batter's box. The real MVP was the cameraman with nerves of steel, who didn't even flinch as the ball whistled past him.
Steve Aoki
May 16, 2022, in Boston, MA
EDM DJ Steve Aoki opened the Red Sox–Astros game with possibly the wildest first pitch ever. It flew high over the backstop, rolling on top of the netting behind home plate. We can't help but feel like Aoki is doing a bit (possibly inspired by his cake-throwing schtick), since surely there's no way he threw it that far by accident. His pitch was as over-the-top as his production style.
Mariah Carey
May 28, 2008, in Tokyo, Japan
This wasn't from an MLB game, but we simply had to include it. For this Japanese pro game between the Yomiuri Giants and the Rakuten Eagles, Mariah Carey basically rolled it to home plate. We count four bounces before the catcher scooped it up. It went quite straight, though!
Girls' Generation
May 11, 2012, in Seoul, South Korea, and May 6, 2013, in Los Angeles, CA
South Korean pop group Girls' Generation have given the world two terrible first pitches: first Jessica Jung in 2012, and later Tiffany Hwang in 2013. Interestingly, both singers took a similar approach with near-identical results. Each began with a big, dramatic windup followed by a bouncer that only flew a few feet. Extra points for style!
Carly Rae Jepsen
July 15, 2013, in Tampa, FL
Arguably the worst pitch of the bunch, Carly Rae Jepsen opened up the Rays–Astros game with an erratic bouncer. She gave it the old college try, but hung onto the ball for a little too long, causing it to fly down the first base line. It didn't even make it to the catcher, since it hit a photographer's camera. But give CRJ credit — her self-effacing laugh instantly took the embarrassment of her terrible throw.
Snoop Dogg
June 9, 2016, in San Diego, CA
Much like 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg gave his first pitch a fairly hard toss. And also like 50 Cent, he had no accuracy whatsoever. His heater flew to the backdrop, completely missing the catcher and causing bystanders to jump out of the way. A little Easter egg: the "SD" on his Padres hat could either stand for "San Diego" or "Snoop Dogg," which we're pretty sure is the entire reason this Los Angeles rapper went to San Diego for his first pitch.