The casual fan generally needs a course of study to keep lead of all the players at a natural spring education baseball game . After all , it ’s not every day that Billy Crystal bat leadoff for the Yankees . While the exercise of allowing imposing guests to participate against professionals gall some traditionalist , here are the account of six celebrities who have suited up at spring grooming plot over the years .
1. Billy Crystal
Crystal celebrated his sixtieth birthday by batting leadoff for his darling New York Yankees in a 2008 spring training game against the Pirates . Crystal , an avid baseball fan who directed61 * , receive a immense ovation as he strolled to the dental plate for his first and only at - squash racquet . " I asked him if he ’d been getting any rookie hazing,“ Pirates backstop Ryan Doumit tell thePittsburgh Post - Gazette . " He did n’t say anything . He looked like he was about quick to throw up from the cheek . “ Crystal did n’t throw up , but he did strike out . The doer took the first pitch from Pirates pitcher Paul Maholm up and outside for a orb and then dribbled a foul wide of first base . Maholm put a slight extra on his next two pitch , but both of them neglect the collection plate . With a 3 - 1 counting , Crystal swung and escape at the next two pitches . " Both were [ prune fastballs],“ he say . " I was disturbed at myself for sway . “ Crystal and Maholm change signed baseballs after the biz .
2. Tom Selleck
3. Bruce Hornsby
4. Garth Brooks
Bochy was right — there was no chance of Brooks crap the squad . He finished the spring 1 - for-22 with one RBI . " Nike came to require me to not tire their stuff,“ Brooks joked . Brooks has also made spring appearances with the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals , most recently in 2004 .
5. Kevin Costner
6. Tom Verducci
Verducci ’s cover song story appeared 45 years after legendary sportswriter George Plimpton pitch to a lineup of National League sluggers at the 1960 All - Star Game , an experience Plimpton chronicle inOut of My League .
