hit one . . or more like Strike 30.
In an inspiring final first pitch, an armless man completed his goal of pitching his foot in all 30 stadiums in Major League Baseball.
Tom Willis, who was born without arms, set a goal 15 years ago to throw the first pitch in all 30 stadiums to raise awareness for his No Arms, No Hands, No Problems platform.
He began the journey in 2008 at Petco Park in San Diego, California and ended Thursday night at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
Willis can be seen walking to center field before removing his gray slip-on sneakers and grabbing the baseball with his toes.
Like a real pitcher, he raised his free leg over his body before throwing the ball high in the air and straight into the mascot’s glove.
Tom Willis, who was born without arms, made it his goal 15 years ago to throw the first pitch in all 30 stadiums
After removing his shoes and grabbing the ball with his foot, he threw a perfect punch into the mascot’s glove
He began the journey in 2008 at Petco Park in San Diego, California and ended Thursday night at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado
Willis became a motivational speaker in 2002, and in 2008 he demonstrated how to throw tennis balls and a frisbee without hands at a San Diego TV station that also happened to be the main network of the San Diego Padres
He picks up the ball with his foot and throws it
Willis, who became a motivational speaker in 2002, first demonstrated how to throw tennis balls and a frisbee hands-free in 2008 when he was featured on a San Diego news station, which was also the main channel that aired the San Diego Padres games.
Willis told them to let them pitch the first pitch at one of the games, and on May 27, 2008, he did just that.
After receiving a warm welcome from the crowd, Willis thought throwing the first pitch at every major league ballpark was a great way to raise awareness about disabilities, according to Sports Keeda.
In 2013, he told the Boston Globe he felt like a “rock star without the money.”
Over the years he has pitched many balls and even signed personalized baseball cards with his Pitch for Awareness National Tour.
“What I’m trying to do is understand and believe in the abilities of a person with disabilities,” he told the Globe.
“Our mother raised us to do what Tom can do,” his brother Michael said at the time.
Since 2008, Willis has traveled more than 70,000 miles to throw the first pitches.
Since 2008, Willis has traveled more than 70,000 miles to throw the first pitches
Over the years he has pitched many balls and even signed personalized baseball cards with his Pitch for Awareness National Tour
“Our mother raised us to do what Tom can do,” his brother Michael said at the time