Pirates legend & HOFer Jim Leyland to throw out ceremonial first pitch at former stomping ground, PNC Park

Recently inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Jim Leyland will throw the ceremonial first pitch in the Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.

The PNC Park will see the return of the former manager who led them to three straight National League Championship series in the early 90s. During his stint with the Pirates, Leyland was crowned the Manager of the Year two times. He also earned the distinction while with the Detroit Tigers in 2006.

His legacy also includes two big titles. He helped the Florida Marlins in their 1997 World Series campaign and was also part of the 2017 US Baseball team, which won gold in the 2017 World Baseball Classic held in Los Angeles. His career spanned 22 seasons, during which he accumulated 1,769 regular-season wins.

Friday's opener at PNC Park will also see the national anthem being played by Grammy-award-winning musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Brass Section.

Steve Cohen of Rawlings will present Ke'Bryan Hayes with the Gold Glove. US Air Force Sergeant Joseph Dukes, who helped in the evacuation of American citizens and 124,000 Afghan refugees from Afghanistan, will sing God Bless America.

Elected through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee in December 2023, the veteran manager earned 93.8% of votes in his favor for induction.

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Jim Leyland shared his experience before he was elected to Hall of Fame

The 23rd manager to find his place in the Hall, Jim Leyland was in his Thornburg, Pennsylvania, home, where he initially thought that his Cooperstown's case was rejected.

“They had told us it would be between 6:30 and 7:15,” Leyland said, “but I thought when I didn’t get it by a quarter to 7, it wasn’t going to happen, so I went up just to rest a minute, kind of get my thoughts together.”

Soon, he received a call from Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark, congratulating him on his induction. Leyland got emotional when he heard the news as he shared:

“There was definitely a tear in my eye."

Jim Leyland was voted in by 15 members of the 16-member panel.