NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren Throws First Pitch for Rakuten Monkeys, Jokes: 'Scariest Thing I've Ever Experienced'
Taiwan-born NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren threw the ceremonial first pitch for the CPBL's Rakuten Monkeys. Despite his two space missions, he humorously claimed that throwing the pitch was 'the scariest thing' he had ever done, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in both space and baseball.
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- 📰 Published: April 26, 2026 at 20:20
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Taiwan-born NASA astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren threw the ceremonial first pitch for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) Rakuten Monkeys today. He greeted fans in Mandarin with 'Dajia hao' (Hello everyone). Having performed two spaceflights, he remarked, 'But throwing the first pitch is probably the scariest thing I have ever experienced.'
Dr. Lindgren was originally scheduled to throw the pitch on the 24th, but the game was postponed due to rain. He returned to the Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium today, first greeting the crowd in Mandarin. The catcher for his pitch was Lin Tzu-wei. Lindgren completed the throw, with the ball bouncing once before landing in the glove. Between innings, he also boarded the stadium's 'small airplane' to wave to the fans.
In an interview video released by the Monkeys after the pitch, Lindgren mentioned that although he had executed two space missions and two spacewalks, including launches and landings, 'I have to say, performing the first pitch is probably the scariest thing I've been through.'
Lindgren thanked the organizers for the chance to experience Taiwanese baseball, noting the passion of the fans and the energy brought by the cheerleaders. He anticipated a very exciting game.
He further added that whether in the U.S. or Taiwan, the core of baseball is teamwork—becoming a team and showing the best version of oneself to win. He looked forward to seeing both teams give their all for victory.
Dr. Lindgren was originally scheduled to throw the pitch on the 24th, but the game was postponed due to rain. He returned to the Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium today, first greeting the crowd in Mandarin. The catcher for his pitch was Lin Tzu-wei. Lindgren completed the throw, with the ball bouncing once before landing in the glove. Between innings, he also boarded the stadium's 'small airplane' to wave to the fans.
In an interview video released by the Monkeys after the pitch, Lindgren mentioned that although he had executed two space missions and two spacewalks, including launches and landings, 'I have to say, performing the first pitch is probably the scariest thing I've been through.'
Lindgren thanked the organizers for the chance to experience Taiwanese baseball, noting the passion of the fans and the energy brought by the cheerleaders. He anticipated a very exciting game.
He further added that whether in the U.S. or Taiwan, the core of baseball is teamwork—becoming a team and showing the best version of oneself to win. He looked forward to seeing both teams give their all for victory.