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April 24, 2004
Sheen's wing is lacking on first pitch
'West Wing' president films segment
By Roch Kubatko
Baltimore Sun
Heavy rains in the Baltimore area did more than delay Friday night's game between the Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays at Camden Yards. They also kept the commander in chief waiting.
Actor Martin Sheen, who portrays President Josiah Bartlet in the popular television series The West Wing, threw out the first pitch for the drama's final episode of the season. His windups - there were four of them - came about 45 minutes late because of the weather.
Sheen rehearsed the scene earlier in the day, walking from the dugout to the mound and waving to a fictitious crowd. He bounced a few throws to home plate before retreating inside.
Once the real shooting began, Sheen was given four chances to record a strike, or something close to it. His first attempt veered outside, the second was high, the third skipped in front of catcher Javy Lopez, and the fourth sailed to the backstop.
Asked a few hours earlier what Lopez should look for, Sheen quipped: "A lot of dirt on the ball."
Cameramen and other employees of the show crowded the area in front of the home dugout before the game. Sheen and actor John Spencer, who portrays chief of staff Leo McGarry, were filmed as they toured the clubhouse.
Rafael Palmeiro and Miguel Tejada rose from one of the sofas to shake Sheen's hand, and Jerry Hairston wandered over for an introduction.
"Don't get up," Spencer said to Palmeiro. "You have a game to play tonight."
The actors also stopped by manager Lee Mazzilli's office. "I asked them if they could hit," he said.
Sheen said the mound looked "three miles away" from the plate, another sign that he's not a natural at the sport.
"I'm acting. That's what I do for a living. I'm into fakery," he said. "I'm not a baseball player. I don't have a sense of it at all."
Asked if he would be nervous once the crowd filed in, Sheen said, "Sure, wouldn't you?"
Sheen is the second member of his family to visit the ballpark. His son, actor Charlie Sheen, was filmed at Camden Yards for the movie Major League II.
"I watched him play here," Sheen said. "I also walked on the Yankee mound about 45 years ago. I did a commercial at Yankee Stadium. But that's about it."
Posted by Jo at April 24, 2004 09:22 AM