Dr. Anthony Fauci Gets His Own Baseball Card After Throwing Wayward Opening Day Pitch

What do Babe Ruth, Derek Jeter, and Dr. Anthony Fauci all have in common? They've all got baseball cards with their name and face on it, that's what! Check out Dr. Fauci's official baseball card.

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July 24, 2020 2:14PM EDT
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New York Yankees' Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, in Tampa, Fla Tigers Yankees Baseball, Tampa, USA - 29 Feb 2020
New York Yankees' Josh Stowers celebrates with teammates after scoring on a single by New York Yankees' Kyle Holder during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, in Tampa, Fla Tigers Yankees Baseball, Tampa, USA - 29 Feb 2020
New York Yankees batter DJ LeMahieu (R) celebrates with teammate Aaron Judge (L) after hitting a game-tying two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning of their MLB American League Championship Series playoff baseball game six at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, USA, 19 October 2019. The winner of the best-of-seven series will go on to face the Washington Nationals in the World Series. New York Yankees at Houston Astros, USA - 19 Oct 2019

You go, Fauci! He’s the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, but on July 23rd, Dr. Anthony Fauci was just one of the guys on the field for the opening night game between the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals. He kicked off the 2020 baseball season throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, and while his baseball career maybe only lasted a few minutes, the moment will now live in infamy.

doctor Anthony Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci on his limited edition baseball card, showing the infectious disease expert throwing the opening pitch at the Washington National’s opening game [via Topps].
Topps, the exclusive trading card partner of the MLB, debuted a limited edition collectible card featuring Dr. Anthony Fauci’s opening day pitch on July 24th, the day after the Doc took to the field wearing a Nat’s jersey, cap and a mask covering his mouth and nose, of course. The card capturing the legendary moment will only be available for 24 hours for $9.99 exclusively at Topps.com  — but what a way to remember a bright spot in a rather dark time.

Then again, overall, Dr. Fauci’s insight and advice has been a great comfort to many people during the coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps that’s why the good doctor received such good-natured teasing after his pretty wild pitch from the mound, throwing quite wide and way off course to the left. While there weren’t any fans in the stands to see his throw, the nation was watching from home.

Dr. Anthony Fauci
The ceremonial first pitch is thrown by Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases before the start of the first inning of an opening day baseball game between the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington [AP].
And who’s next up to the mound, you might ask? Well, interestingly enough, President Donald Trump. As of last night, Dr. Fauci accomplished something that Trump hasn’t in his four years in office: throw a ceremonial first pitch. But everyone can just go ahead and hold their beer, because just hours before Fauci’s first pitch, Trump announced to reporters at the White House that he’d been asked by Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees, to  throw the first pitch at another one of their games. Mark your calendars — he’ll be throwing the opening pitch at Yankee Stadium on August 15.

Let’s just all remember who was asked first, ok?