Longtime Reds fan Rose throws out first pitch at Major League game

Lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan Holley Rose stepped on the pitcher’s mound at Great American Ballpark and fired a strike that might have been the envy of the late, great Joe Nuxhall.

Well, almost.

Mr. Red, one of the team’s mascots, didn’t field the pitch cleanly and it bounced in the dirt. Rose, District and Local Readiness manager for the Division of Emergency Preparedness (DEP), insists it wasn’t a wild pitch, however; it was a passed ball on the part of the apparently not-exactly-Johnny-Bench costumed catcher.

Despite jest to the contrary from DEP director Megan Lytle, that’s Rose’s story—and she’s sticking to it.

“I was just happy the ball made it to my catcher, Mr. Red, however it landed in sand right at his feet,” said Rose. “He brought the ball over and high-fived me, and that was amazing. I also got to keep the ball.”

Thankfully, no game was on the line and the effort was all in good fun.

Rose won a drawing to be allowed to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Reds’ Sept. 14 home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. An avid fan who frequently attends games in the Queen City, Rose was notified last year that she’d be entered into a drawing for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Time passed and it slipped her mind until the team notified her, essentially “out of the blue,” that she was one of a handful of fans chosen to throw out the first pitch at a game this season. It was an experience she won’t soon forget.

Rose stepped onto the meticulously landscaped field and notched a true “bucket list” achievement not many baseball fans will ever have the opportunity to achieve. She credited Reds staff for helping her overcome any pre-pitch jitters.

“I was very excited and felt like it was a dream,” said Rose. “I will have to admit, yes, I was nervous; however, the Reds staff are so friendly and wonderful. They really make you calm and feel special throughout the entire process.”

Photo caption: Indiana Department of Health Division of Emergency Preparedness District and Local Readiness manager Holley Rose was selected to throw out the first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game in September.

Growing up a Redlegs fan, Rose cites Hall of Fame backstop Bench as well as the great “Charlie Hustle,” Pete Rose, as two members of the fabled “Big Red Machine” she enjoyed watching in her youth.

Today, Cooperstown-bound first baseman Joey Votto is a favorite, along with shortstop Kyle Farmer and 2021 National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India.

While Rose will always be a member of the Redleg Nation, she’s also a big fan of her current team at DEP and her work with other public health professionals.

“I truly enjoy working with local health departments and district health care coalitions,” Rose said. “There are so many amazing public health initiatives taking place throughout the state. I work with an amazing team that values assisting locals as much as I do. The team has a shared passion for public health that makes the work fulfilling.”

Story by Brent Brown, Indiana Department of Health