Fauci gets personalized baseball card after first pitch

[July 25, 2020]    Dr. Anthony Fauci can add another bullet point to his long and distinguished career: Now he has his own baseball card.

The Topps baseball card company honored Fauci with a card Friday, one day after he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Washington Nationals hosted the New York Yankees. The nation's leading infectious disease expert wore a mask as he took the mound.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci throws out the ceremonial first pitch before MLB Opening Day between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Granted, the pitch didn't come close to the strike zone, but the 79-year-old savored the experience.

"It went in the wrong direction," Fauci said to the Washington Post. "I joked around after and said I used to be a shortstop when I played ball as a young boy, and I thought I was supposed to throw to first base."

Topps took it easy on Fauci, printing a card that zoomed in on his pitch release -- and did not show where the ball ended up.

--Field Level Media

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