The Chicago White Sox called it “One of the most impressive first pitches of all time”!
Who needs angels in the outfield when you’ve got a nun with a wicked curveball on the mound?
It was Marian Catholic High School Day at a Chicago White Sox game on Saturday, so teacher Sister Mary Jo Sobieck was selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Now, a lot of celebrities and even actual athletes have made a mess of their first pitch chances. Pop star Carly Rae Jepsen threw it only about 5 feet. Michael Jordan, a world-class athlete and a guy who actually played minor league baseball, airmailed his chance. This dude nailed another dude in a spot dudes don’t like to get nailed in.
So, Sister Mary Jo had a lot of pressure on her shoulders. But Sister Mary Jo laughs in the face of pressure.
Taking to the mound in her habit, Sobieck pulled off a few fancy moves with the ball and then threw an absolute strike. Watch the impressive video below:
Mercy, Sister Mary Jo! pic.twitter.com/oM9jBDT5N7
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 19, 2018
I mean, that isn’t just a decent effort for a ceremonial pitch. That pitch would have probably caught the bottom of a major league strike zone. Here’s another angle, accompanied by the White Sox Twitter account noting that it might be the most impressive ceremonial first pitch of all time.
One of the most impressive first pitches of all time. 😱 pic.twitter.com/PA7M4iC9X5
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 18, 2018
Even the major leaguer who caught the ball was impressed.
“That was awesome,” pitcher Lucas Giolito told MLB.com. “She had a whole routine. She had it planned out. I was just lucky to be back there. She threw a perfect pitch.”
How good was the pitch? Sobieck is getting her own bobblehead.

National Bobblehead Hall of Fame
Sobieck told ABC7 she played sports a lot growing up, so she was pretty confident going in. She threw from the mound, even though a lot of people elect to throw their first pitches from the grass in front of it.
“As an athlete, you gotta be all in, and I knew that my coaches and my teammates, when they saw that, they would be like, ‘You gotta do the real thing, and it’s all or nothing,’” Sobieck said. “I had to do it from the top.”
Here’s Sobieck practicing in the high school gym:
Have you heard the news? Marian Catholic’s own Sister Mary Jo Sobieck will take the mound on Saturday night at Guaranteed Rate Field to throw out the first pitch at Marian Catholic Night with the White Sox! She was spotted in East Gym yesterday warming up her arm. Watch Sister Mary Jo throw a strike in person by purchasing your tickets at https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/tickets/specials#marian-catholic
A post shared by Marian Catholic High School (@marian_catholic) on
Move over Sister Jean (of March Madness fame). Chicago’s got a new celebrity sports nun in town.