Today is WSU Day at the Seattle Mariners, so the team orchestrated a very cool first pitch between a couple of former WSU baseball players to commemorate the occasion.
That would be Dr. John E. Olerud on the mound throwing to his son, John G. Olerud. (And by the way — how about the heat on that pitch from the 72-year-old??)
Of course, both are Cougar legends who played under former coach Bobo Brayton; the elder Olerud was a catcher who helped take WSU to the 1965 College World Series before going on to a distinguished career as a dermatologist, while the younger Olerud was merely the best baseball player in the history of the various iterations of the Pac-12 before being selected in the MLB draft and embarking on a 17-year career that included 4 1/2 seasons with his hometown team, the Seattle Mariners.
Butch is in attendance to mark the occasion:
WSU Day at Safeco Field! #GoCougs #GoMariners pic.twitter.com/zCAwiuJHFo
— Michael McLaughlin (@McLoffs) July 16, 2016
And the Cougar Cruiser made a stop:
We’re at a table inside the Mariners gate by section 344! Gear is going quickly!! pic.twitter.com/HtHFJJOLcR
— Cougar Cruiser (@Cougar_Cruiser) July 16, 2016