Megan Rapinoe Throws Out First Pitch In Mariners And Fortunately For Her, It Wasn't As Bad As Her World Cup Penalty Kick

If you thought Megan Rapinoe's retirement from the sport of soccer meant she'd ride off quietly into the sunset, you must not know Megan Rapinoe. Just days after playing her final match, the former USWNT player took the mound ahead of Wednesday's Seattle Mariners game.

If you're wondering why Seattle, Rapinoe played in Seattle, as did her wife, WNBA player Sue Bird. Although, if you think about it, doesn't Megan Rapinoe just kind of scream "Pacific Northwest?"

So, in a way, it makes sense.

Now, this may surprise you but Rapinoe did not take the mound in a solemn and dignified manner. Nor, did she take the mound in board shorts and flip flops to zing a strike across the plate like John Daly, in what remains the best ceremonial first pitch of all time. (Editor's note: Matt's editor takes exception to this claim and vehemently contends that George W Bush's first pitch at Yankee Stadium after 9/11 firmly hold this title.)

The outspoken soccer player took to the mound at T-Mobile Park wearing what appeared to be Eddie Murphy's pants from Delirious. After basking in the crowd's adulations, the women's sports activist who ironically advocates for men to compete in women's sports wound up and threw one to Mariner's pitcher George Kirby.

Look, we all like goofing on Megan Rapinoe, but that was far from the worst first pitch I've ever seen. Yeah, she would've plunked a right-handed hitter in the thigh. But for someone who played a sport where any part of your body from the shoulders down is verboten, it wasn't terrible.

She's still no John Daly. No one is. What he did was first pitch perfection.

Interspersed between her first pitch duties, Daily Mail reports that Rapinoe found time to ham it up with one of the team's oversized tridents. She also snapped a selfie on the field, because it's not like there were plenty of cameras around already.

Rapinoe played her final match with the USWNT on Sunday, a 2-0 win in a friendly against South Africa.

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