Sister Jean Delores Schmidt is 103 years old but still has what it takes to throw a pitch on a Major League Baseball field. The avid sports fan took the mound at Wrigley Field on Sept. 27 to throw out the first pitch to start the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies.
She was a special guest of the Cubs to celebrate her 103rd birthday in August, and the team even had a custom jersey made for her with the number 103 emblazoned on the back.
In a video shared by Sister Jean on her Twitter account, the sports fanatic got a little sassy when describing the pitch she made. You can see her custom-made jersey and a killer windup before she tossed the ball to the team mascot, a cub named Clark.
“Some would say that my pitch was low and away but what you didn’t see is that the cub actually called for a pitchout,” she joked in the video caption.
Some would say that my pitch was low and away but what you didn’t see is that the cub actually called for a pitchout. pic.twitter.com/FocVaFo561
— Sister Jean Schmidt (@SisterSchmidt) September 28, 2022
Baseball fans around the world cheered for Sister Jean on social media and even had a little fun with the video of her first pitch. Someone on Twitter thought it would be nice to edit Sister Jean’s pitch with footage of Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez (formerly of the Cubs) striking out. The video edit, shared by Twitter user and sportscaster Rob Friedman, is nothing short of spectacular.
Sister Jean K'ing Javy Baez. pic.twitter.com/K8iydA0jwd
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 28, 2022
This isn’t the first time Sister Jean threw the first pitch to open an MLB game. Back on Sept. 18, 2019, the Cubs welcomed her to commemorate her centennial birthday.
Sister Jean serves as the chaplain for the Loyola University Men’s Basketball team. She first became a sports phenomenon during the 2018 NCAA Basketball Tournament, when the Loyola Ramblers made a surprise run during March Madness.
The then-98-year-old nun was seen at all of the games wearing her now famous Loyola jacket and scarf. Sister Jean talked to TV commentators and consistently went viral on social media thanks to her prayers mixed with coaching tips.
“Good, gracious God. We need your help today,” she prayed before the game against Ohio State in 2018, according to USA Today. “But I know we can beat those Buckeyes. I noticed as they practiced out there, they make a lot of attempts at 3’s. Somebody has to be under the basket each time so we can rush down, do a break and get the ball into the basket.”
How could you not love such a devoted fan? We’re so happy to see her out there and cheering for her favorite Chicago sports teams.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
