New Cincinnati archbishop, who once wore 'Cubbies blue,' to throw first pitch at Reds game

Cincinnati Archbishop Robert Casey will get a chance in August to prove he’s ready to embrace the Cincinnati Reds after growing up in “Cubbies blue.”

Casey, born and raised in the Chicago area with his hometown Cubs, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the Aug. 30 game between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. The pitch is scheduled for 6:25 p.m., about a half hour before the game begins.

At his introductory press conference in February, Casey joked that “I have to change from Cubbies blue to Cincinnati red, and I have to change from deep-dish pizza to Cincinnati chili.”

The first pitch is part of what’s becoming a big year for Catholic baseball fans. The new leader of the church, Pope Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan who attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, which the White Sox won.

Casey’s first pitch will open “Catholic Day” at Great American Ball Park, which will include a celebration of schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Catholic school principals from all the archdiocese’s 87 elementary schools and 24 high schools will be invited onto the field before Casey throws the pitch. Those schools educate about 42,000 students every year.

Fans who want to support Catholic schools can do so by buying discounted tickets online. Each purchase will include a $5 donation to the Catholic Education Foundation of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati archbishop to throw first pitch at Reds game on Aug. 30

New Cincinnati archbishop, who once wore ‘Cubbies blue,’ to throw first pitch at Reds game

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