Did you know the late Hugo Chavez threw out the first pitch before Bobby V's dugout disguise game?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died Tuesday, leaving a complicated legacy that included cold relations with the U.S. in recent years. But feelings were different in 1999, when Chavez had just recently swept into office on a populist wave.

There might not be better evidence of changing times than the pregame scene at Shea Stadium on June 9 of that year. Chavez took the mound and threw a left-handed ceremonial first pitch, was presented with a personalized Mets jersey and met with Venezuelans on both sides of the contest: New York's Edgardo Alfonzo, Roger Cedeno and Melvin Mora, and Toronto's Kelvim Escobar.

Incidentally, this was the same game that saw Bobby Valentine's infamous dugout disguise appear in the 12th inning -- but we have no way of knowing whether Chavez stuck around long enough to see it.

-- Dan Wohl / MLB.com

h/t @Scratchbomb