Reta Kinyon won’t have a second career as a professional pitcher.
But the 2008 Ms. Senior Parker County has a pretty good idea what she’s missing.
Kinyon threw out the first pitch at last week’s Fort Worth Cats vs. Wichita Wingnuts game. She has her predecessor to thank for what she described as an exciting and interesting experience.
"Helen Savage, last year’s queen, talked with the Cats organization," Kinyon said. "They gave us some game passes to use and she thought it would be a good publicity move on their part to have me throw out the first pitch."
The minor league baseball team’s management agreed. Kinyon said she’s grateful that her invitation came early enough for her to prepare.
"I wasn’t nervous, really," she said. "I practiced before hand here at home. I got the coach at Brock, Brad Massey, to help me. My brother, Buzz Sullivan, who used to be a coach, also helped me."
Kinyon said her trainers taught her how to stand and move her arm so she could put the pill where she wanted it to go. Then, they were her catchers while she practiced.
When the moment came to perform at Fort Worth’s LaGrave Field, Kinyon said she was caught up in a whirlwind of sensations.
"I can’t remember if I reached the plate," she said. "I didn’t pitch from the mound, but maybe six feet in front of it. All I know is that the catcher caught it."
Coach Massey and Cats first base coach Wayne Terwilliger told Kinyon she could pitch for them anytime. But tossing a game’s first pitch was good enough to satisfy the retired teacher. She has no plans to return to the mound (or six feet in front of it).
"I’ve gone back to work as a part-time aide in kindergarten in Brock," she said. "Of all the ages, I like kindergarten best."
Kinyon said she taught lower elementary, kindergarten through second, when she was a full-time teacher.
"We have so much fun with kindergartners," she said. "I might teach them to pitch."
Print
E-Mail
