BYU student throws first pitch

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    By Tiffany Olsen

    His legs are numb. His heart is racing. The roaring crowd of 30,000 die-hard Boston Red Sox fans is watching, and the only thought going through his mind is that Babe Ruth and a number of other famous baseball players have stood on the same pitcher?s mound. He winds up and throws the first pitch of the game.

    Three weeks ago Colin Blair, a BYU freshman from Cottonwood, Ariz., said he never dreamed he would be throwing the first pitch in a Boston Red Sox game.

    In August, Blair was checking up on his team when he clicked on a pop-up offering the chance to win an all-expense paid trip for four to Boston to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the game on Sept. 26.

    Contestants had to be 21 years old to enter. Because he was only 17, he entered in his own address but used his older brother, Cameron, as the contact name, along with his birthday.

    ?You never hear about people winning these contests,? said Wendi Blair, Cameron?s wife. ?When we found out, we were so amazed it actually happened.?

    Colin, Cameron, Wendi and Mark Suman (Blair?s cousin and Red Sox fan) flew to Boston on Sept. 25 and were taken in a limo to Strega, an authentic Italian, contemporary-style restaurant. They were given a $500 spending limit.

    ?The restaurant owner was impressed and could not believe we would not drink,? Cameron said.

    The contest was sponsored, and all expenses were paid by PC Connection.

    The sponsor paid for their three-night?s stay at Hotel Commonwealth, a five-star resort five minutes from Fenway Park, where one-night?s stay is $300.

    PC Connection also gave them a tour of the historical sites in Boston. For the first time in their lives, they saw the Paul Revere House, Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution. They also went whale watching at the bay.

    Before the game, they were given an exclusive tour of Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.

    The contest winner and guests watched the game from the Legend Suite, located on the first-base side of the field.

    ?While we were in there, I was just getting a drink, and I noticed one of the Red Sox affiliates was walking towards me,? Blair said. ?I kept thinking, ?no it couldn?t be, it just can?t be,? and then she lifted the sheet off of the 2004 World Series trophy and told us we could touch it. I couldn?t believe it.?

    Though there were no legends in the suite at the time, the four enjoyed watching the game in the presence of many sponsors. At no expense of their own, they were served unlimited food and drinks in the suite.

    ?Everything was going so great and just as the game was about to start and we were all getting ready for the first pitch, it started to rain, so they cancelled the game,? Cameron said.

    The sponsors had prepared a baseball with Cameron?s name printed on it, because it was Cameron?s name that was chosen from the database of 180,000.

    ?We were just so glad the game was rescheduled because we were able to arrange it so that Colin could throw the pitch, and by the next day, they had made a baseball with Colin?s name on it,? Cameron said. ?It was more exciting for me to see him throw the pitch than if I had.?

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