Jack Hughes and Aerin Frankel bring Olympic gold flair to Yankees' first pitch
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NEW YORK -- The gold medals made it from Milan to the Bronx.
Fresh off leading Team USA to Olympic glory, Aerin Frankel and Jack Hughes continued their celebrations by trading ice for the Yankee Stadium mound, delivering ceremonial first pitches ahead of the Yankees’ home opener against the Marlins on Friday.
"When everything went down, this was the one thing I was wondering if it would happen,” said Hughes, the New Jersey Devils center who scored the overtime winner to clinch the United States’ first hockey gold in 46 years.
"I knew a lot of things were coming, but this was the one thing I was always wishing and hoping for. And then I was like, ‘Opening Day? That’s huge, man.’ That’s a lot of pressure.”
Not that either of these decorated athletes are averse to a challenge.
The backbone of the women’s title run, Frankel said she was able to spend a few minutes catching up with Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, a fellow Northeastern University alum.
"I got to chat with him a little bit and hear about everything,” Frankel said. “He’s been incredible, so I wished him good luck.”
Frankel attended high school in Chappaqua, N.Y., before transferring to a Minnesota preparatory school as a sophomore, and said she has fond memories of coming to Yankee Stadium as a fan.
"We got here early for batting practice and Derek Jeter threw me a ball,” she said. “I have that at home in New York. I kept it forever. We’re obviously New Yorkers. Getting that ball when you’re a little kid is like the best day in the world.”
Hughes said he and his friends -- including Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy -- met with Aaron Judge and spent some time in the clubhouse and player areas, including a few swings in the batting cages.
“I could hang in the clubhouse all day,” Hughes said. “Those guys are good guys. It was fun being in the room. It’s pretty similar to what we do every day.”
Most days, anyway. Hughes said he broke from his usual routine to prepare for Friday’s appearance, throwing his own version of a bullpen before a recent Devils game.
“We played in Dallas last week and my trainer brought gloves,” Hughes said. “I threw like 50 pitches right before the morning skate. My shoulder was so sore. I was like, ‘We’ve got to cool it.’”