Olympic Gold Winners Throw First Pitches Across America

The gold medals are still shining, and now they're making the rounds at America's baseball stadiums.

Jack Hughes and Aerin Frankel threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium on Friday, just weeks after leading Team USA to a historic Olympic sweep. Hughes scored the overtime winner in the men's hockey final, while Frankel backstopped the women's team to their own gold medal victory over Canada.

It's the first time the United States has won both hockey golds at the same Olympics. The sled hockey team made it a clean sweep at the Paralympics, marking an unforgettable moment for American hockey.

"I knew a lot of things were coming, but this was the one thing I was always wishing for," Hughes said before his pitch at Yankee Stadium. The New Jersey Devils star has spent seven years in the area and grew up playing baseball before focusing on hockey.

Frankel, from Westchester County, said the coolest part of winning gold has been watching other people's reactions. "It's cool to see how special that is for them," she said about letting fans hold and photograph the medal.

Why This Inspires

These athletes didn't have to share their moment. They could have quietly returned to their professional seasons and kept their medals in a trophy case. Instead, they're bringing Olympic glory directly to the people.

Jake Oettinger threw a strike in Texas less than 24 hours after shutting out Winnipeg with 22 saves. He brought his 12-year-old brother Thomas onto the field and even met former President George W. Bush. "The coolest part is letting other people wear it or take pictures with it," Oettinger said about his medal.

In Cleveland, 22-year-old Laila Edwards got a roaring ovation at the Guardians' home opener. The Cleveland Heights native scored the tying goal late in the gold medal game and has barely stopped winning since, helping Wisconsin to back-to-back national championships just days after returning from the Olympics.

Hughes needed to warm up his throwing arm before his big moment, tossing 50 pitches before a morning practice last week. His shoulder got sore, but it didn't slow him down on the ice, where he scored five points the night before his Yankees appearance.

These Olympic champions are showing that victory tastes sweetest when it's shared with everyone who cheered them on.