Ethan Forman
U.S. Olympic women’s hockey silver medalist Meghan Duggan of Danvers scored a big hit with the crowd at Boston’s Fenway Park yesterday when she hammed it up while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Red Sox game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
She did so with eight fellow teammates by her side, while the 114th running of the Boston Marathon was under way.
She also pitched in front of a squad of friends and family, dubbed Team Duggan, before a sellout Patriots Day crowd of 37,609.
Duggan, 23, and members of her squad wore their Team USA Olympic hockey jerseys with their heavy silver medals dangling from their necks.
Duggan’s appearance briefly cheered the Fenway faithful who later sat through an 8-2 loss.
“All right, Meghan let’s see a pitch,” intoned the Fenway announcer, before the Burley Street Olympian leaned over as if to throw some heat. That had the catcher, Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard, moving to the front of the plate, only to have Duggan motion him back.
She then tossed one in there to the delight of the crowd.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I figured,” Duggan said. “My teammates are convincing me to ham it up a little bit, make fun of it.
“Obviously, you know, it’s probably my only time I am going step out on the mound at Fenway. It was awesome.”
Yesterday was actually Duggan’s second time on the storied field, only that visit was back in January when she skated on the frozen Fenway ice rink, installed for the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic.
“This was a dream come true,” said Duggan, who added that she appreciated the support she has gotten from her hometown, including a parade in her honor and flags and posters lining her street.
“It is incredible,” said Selectman Keith Lucy, who just happened to be at the game and who watched Duggan pitch from his seat in the bleachers. “It was wonderful to see them all.
“For her to get the first pitch was great.”
Duggan was joined on the field by teammates who included Duggan’s longtime friend Erika Lawler of Fitchburg, Jessie Vetter of Wisconsin, Brianne McLaughlin of Ohio, Julie Chu of Fairfield, Conn., Karen Thatcher of Providence, R.I., Molly Schaus of Natick, Hilary Knight of Hanover, N.H., and Caitlin Cahow of Branford, Conn.
The excitement for the team will continue this week as Duggan and her teammates plan to fly to Washington, D.C, today with plans to visit the White House and President Barack Obama tomorrow.
Duggan had plenty of local support for her first Fenway pitch. Members of Team Duggan stood on the field and cheered her, including her father, Bob, of Danvers, older sister Katelyn, of Beverly, and family friends wearing blue “Team Duggan” T-shirts.
“I still pinch myself everyday when I think about the times where she aspired to get to and actually where she lived her dream and actually got to there,” Bob Duggan said. “To think we were actually standing in the stands and watch her walk out during the opening ceremonies (in Vancouver), it’s a feeling that is just overwhelming. I just get so emotional even thinking about it.”
Other members of Team Duggan on hand included brother Bryan, 25, of Connecticut; Cheryl Marshall, the program manager for the Danvers Recreation Department; Marshall’s nephew Brian and his wife, Jen, of Peabody; and family friends Lois and Jim Hayes of Danvers. The Hayes’s son, Dustin, grew up with Meghan.
Meghan’s mom, Mary, was working yesterday and could not attend.
“This is the best moment of my life,” said Katelyn Duggan as she stood on the field waiting for Meghan to throw out the first pitch. Katelyn said her sister’s hamming it up on the mound was pure Meghan.
“Always joking, always having a good time” Katelyn said.
“She’s an athlete,” said Cheryl Marshall. “She played baseball. She knew what she was doing.”
Duggan, however, said she wasn’t above a little practice for the big moment.
“Yesterday, I threw a couple of balls in my backyard to make sure I didn’t embarrass myself out there,” she said. “But I played baseball my whole life, so it’s just like riding a bike, just toss it in there.”
Duggan said she has been trying to absorb all that has happened to her in recent months since the Olympics in February.
“It’s been a whirlwind. It’s been tough to process the last couple of weeks and months,” she said. “I’ve been pretty crazy, but it’s absolutely worth it.”
