Chad Cordero and Brian Schneider played for the inaugural Washington Nationals team in 2005. Fifteen seasons later, they returned to partake in the club’s most historic moment yet.
The former batterymates threw and caught the first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series Friday night at Nationals Park, the building’s first-ever World Series game.
Cordero, the team’s first closer in 2005, spent six of his seven MLB seasons with the Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals from 2003 to 2008. He earned the first save in Nationals history. Schneider played five years with the Expos and three with the Nationals.
Both ex-players were able to wear actual game-worn uniforms their dads had saved, they said.
“It’s a huge honor to be able to come back and be a part of something like this,” Cordero said before the game. “To be part of that first team in ’05 that brought baseball back after so many years, and then to be able to be invited to throw out the first pitch in the World Series and the first one, like Brian said, in 86 years, that’s a pretty special honor.”
April 14, 2005:
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 26, 2019
Chad Cordero pitches to Brian Schneider, recording the 1st #Nats save in Washington, DC.
October 25, 2019:
Chad Cordero pitches to Brian Schneider before Game 3 of the #WorldSeries in Washington, DC.@ChadCordero32 // #STAYINTHEFIGHT pic.twitter.com/xJGzNEfJnr
Before Cordero and Schneider took their positions at the mound and plate, Col. Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, also threw out a ceremonial pitch.
Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin throws out the first pitch for Game 3 of the 2019 World Series! pic.twitter.com/OiJwW49k5h
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 25, 2019
Local singer D.C. Washington performed the national anthem, and Mayor Muriel Bowser led the park in the “Let’s play ball!” cheer.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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