During Saturday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, Sister Mary Jo Sobieck threw a perfect first pitch for the Chicago White Sox, ABC News reports.
The nun, who works at Marian Catholic High School, showed off her pitching skills in front of her students during her school’s “Night with the White Sox” celebration at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field.
Wearing both a traditional habit and a No. 60 Marian Catholic High School jersey, Sobieck stepped up to the mound to throw the game’s first ceremonial pitch and showcased her skills “by doing an arm-bounce trick” right before her now viral pitch.
Appearing on Good Morning America on Sunday, Sobieck said, “I had to do something to take my mind off it. I mean, it’s too awkward to just stand and throw from the jump. So I had to do a little something to put me in motion.”
Referring to Sobieck’s legendary perfect pitch, Chicago White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito commented, “That was awesome.”
“She had a whole routine,” Giolito said. “She had it planned out. I was just lucky to be back there. She threw a perfect pitch.”
Shortly after Sobieck’s pitch, the White Sox Twitter account tweeted out a video of the nun throwing the game’s first pitch, captioning it, “One of the most impressive first pitches of all time.”
After her successful pitch, Sobieck shook Giolito’s hand and proceeded to point over to the stands while the crowd applauded her.
Out of all the sisters at Marian Catholic High School, Sobieck claims she was picked to throw the first pitch due to her athletic ability and considerable youth.
Addressing ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, Sobieck explained why she was uniquely qualified to deliver the pitch.”Well, George,” she said, “I think it’s I think it’s probably because I have a little bit of athletic ability. I was probably the most likely candidate because of my youth and my agility.”
Don’t sleep on Sister Mary Jo’s curve ball ? pic.twitter.com/GMBqLJaUUh
— ESPN (@espn) August 19, 2018
Rick Renteria, the manager of the White Sox, said that Sobieck “was pretty good, actually. I’m like, ‘Wait a minute.’ He [Giolito] threw it back to her and she fielded it barehanded.”
Renteria later went on to joke about letting Sobieck join the team. “I was like, ‘OK, she looks like she play a little bit,’” he said, “so we started talking to her. I think she said, ‘I played center and short.’”
“I said to her, ‘Can you play for us?’” He added. “She said, ‘Sure.’”
