Phillies Update: Philly basketball legends to throw out first pitch at Game 1 of NLCS

Ryan Conway
October 15, 2023
Phillies
0 Comments

The Phillies have announced two individuals will be tossing out the first pitch at Game 1 of the NLCS Monday night. Per John Clark, two Philly basketball legends are slated to handle the ceremonial duties and kick off the series.

Dawn Staley and Jay Wright will do the honors for the Phillies:

Philly basketball legends Jay Wright and Dawn Staley will throw out the ceremonial first pitches tomorrow night for Game 1 of the NLCS#RedOctober pic.twitter.com/3q3DoicDnd
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 15, 2023

Now if you read the replies to this announcement, not everyone is thrilled with this. Some are saying it’s a boring pick, and others are asking the braindead question, “Who’s Dawn Staley?”

But I’d say the majority of fans are down with this pick. I’m certainly one of us. They’re solid options while still leaving room to elevate the star power as we inch closer to the World Series.

The Phillies are going for a championship, and both of these coaches have won them in spades. Who better to kick off the penultimate series of the postseason?

I wasn’t going to do this, but I can’t help myself. Dawn Staley is the only Philly basketball legend taking the mound Monday Night. And that’s not to say Jay Wright (aka A Coach Named Slickback) isn’t one of the greatest college coaches of all time.

Villanova is on the Main Line, not in Philadelphia. If a Main Line kid told you he was from Philly and answered “Bryn Mawr” when you ask what neighborhood he’s from, you’d say to him he’s not from Philly. Nobody would blame you, either.

I know this because I’m a Main Line kid from Bryn Mawr. I have lived in Philadelphia for a few years and have a degree from Temple, but to say I grew up in Philly would be wholly disingenuous.

None of this is to discredit the Phillies decision. I went to youth basketball camps where Jay Wright would come and coach, and I have a great deal of respect for him, even though I’m a Temple fan at heart.

Gear up in the TLL Shop