Michigan State University Athletics
Dantonio Delivers A Strike At Comerica Park
7/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 10, 2008
Dantonio First-Pitch Ceremony Photo Gallery
Video Highlights: Spartan Football's Trip to Comerica Park
EAST LANSING, Mich. - One day after returning from a family vacation to Italy, Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio participated in a first-pitch ceremony prior to the Detroit Tigers' July 9 game against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Before a crowd of better than 41,000, Dantonio - wearing a green Detroit baseball cap and a black Spartan football sport shirt - threw a strike to Tigers' first base coach Andy Van Slyke, who served as the catcher.
"I was happy that the throw hit the strike zone," Dantonio said. "I kept getting text messages throughout the day saying, `Get it over the plate' and `Don't leave it short.' When I got off the bus at Comerica Park, I honestly felt like `The Rookie.'"
Coach Dantonio was accompanied to the field by his wife Becky, daughters Kristen and Lauren, and in-laws Robert and Patty Pope.
Exiting the field after the first-pitch ceremony, Dantonio stopped in the tunnel to autograph a Spartan football mini helmet for one of the fans. He also posed for photos with some young fans while sitting with his family in the outfield box seats along the left-field line.
"Spartan Nation was well represented in Comerica Park," Dantonio said.
After watching the first inning and a half with his family, Dantonio joined senior quarterback Brian Hoyer, who played his prep football at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, and senior defensive tackle Justin Kershaw, from Columbus, Ohio, for a media tour through the press box.
In the top of the third, Dantonio joined Mario Impemba, a Michigan State graduate, and Rod Allen for a "live" interview in the FSN Detroit broadcast booth. Dantonio spent the fourth inning in the Sports Time Ohio booth for a "live" interview with Rick Manning and Matt Underwood.
After his two TV appearances, Dantonio and his players made brief appearances in the radio booths for introductions to Tigers' announcers Dan Dickerson and Jim Price as well as Indians' announcers Tom Hamilton and Mike Hegan.
During his press box tour, Dantonio presented each of the TV and radio announcers with a Spartan football hat.
Prior to the game, Dantonio conducted a pregame press conference in an interview room located near the visiting clubhouse. Shortly after his press conference began, Dantonio was interrupted by Detroit media relations director Brian Britten and invited to attend a private meeting with Tigers' manager Jim Leyland. Hoyer and Kershaw entertained questions from the media while Dantonio visited with Leyland.
Following his 20-minute, closed-door session with the Tigers' manager, Dantonio took time for a quick phone interview with Mitch Albom on WJR Radio before resuming the formal press conference. Prior to the first-pitch ceremony, Dantonio also joined John Keating on the FSN Detroit concourse set for an interview on the TIGERS LIVE pregame show.
"Media exposure in Detroit and throughout southeast Michigan is vital for our football program," Dantonio said. "A special trip like this to Detroit only enhances our visibility. Sure, it's important from a recruiting standpoint, but it's also important in terms of communicating with our alums and fans."
Members of the local media joined Coach Dantonio and his family, Hoyer, Kershaw and MSU Athletics Department staff for the bus trip from East Lansing to Comerica Park. A mobile billboard, promoting Spartan football season-ticket sales, escorted the bus from campus to the ballpark.
