Play ball! Top U.S. infectious disease expert and Washington Nationals fan Dr. Anthony Fauci threw the team’s ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day in D.C. on Thursday.
Fauci, 79, trotted to the mound in a custom jersey and Washington face mask and threw the pitch off the mark, tossing to the far right of Sean Doolittle.
"It went in the wrong direction," Fauci said in an interview Friday with Washington Post Live. "I joked around after that I used to be a short stop when I played ball as a young boy, and I thought I was supposed to throw to first base."
The team said earlier this week that the “superfan” and "true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic" would do the honors. Here's a look.
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases walks to the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases walks to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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(Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci looks on prior to the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci reacts after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci is greeted by Sean Doolittle #63 of the Washington Nationals after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 23: (L-R) Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases talks with Sean Doolittle after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
