In marking the 20th anniversary of the year Tampa Bay was awarded a major league franchise, Vincent J. Naimoli, managing general partner of the Devil Rays from 1995 through 2005, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day vs. the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, April 6th.
Naimoli was the man who secured Tampa Bay’s long-awaited Major League Baseball franchise.
Taking the torch from a long line of community leaders, Naimoli accepted the challenge of bringing the national pastime to the region beginning in 1991. On May 9, 1995, that goal was realized when MLB owners voted unanimously to award Tampa Bay a franchise.
Naimoli, 77, was born in Paterson, N.J., and resides in Tampa.
Previous First Pitches at Rays Home Openers
1998: HOFers Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Monte Irvin, Al Lopez
1999: Larry Doby
2000: Wade Boggs
2001: St. Petersburg Mayor David J. Fischer
2002: United States Army General Tommy Franks
2003: Jon Gruden and Rich McKay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2004: Winky Wright, World Junior Middleweight Champion
2005: Racing legend Michael Andretti
2006: Al Lopez Jr., Al Lopez III and Al Lopez IV
2007: Governor Charlie Crist
2008: Governor Charlie Crist and Buccaneers great Mike Alstott
2009: Governor Charlie Crist
2010: Admiral Eric Thor Olson, Commander, US Special Ops
2011: Governor Rick Scott
2012: Jim Dundee, son of late boxing legend Angelo Dundee
2013: Rays Senior Advisor Don Zimmer and his son Tom
2014: Col. Scott V. DeThomas, Commander, 6th Air Mobility Wing
Information written and provided by Tampa Bay Rays Communications