Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson Bet $5000 On Who Would Throw The Better First Pitch

by Pete AragonesAugust 19, 2015, 4:28 pmNews >

Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson not only can hit balls a great distance, but they can throw them too, as both top tier golfers threw ceremonial first pitches at major league games Tuesday night. Prior to the pitches, the two took to Twitter to trash talk each other until reaching a $5000 bet on the results of the pitches.

When both players were asked about how they felt during the pitches, Spieth, at Globe Life Park, replied, “I think we might get a nice Zach Johnson check coming our way. As long as you don’t bounce it, I think it’s a success. And got it over the strike zone too, so that was nice.”

At Wrigley Field, Johnson said that, “I’d like to say my pitching mirrors my game on the golf course, so I’ll say over the plate is a good pitch and leave it at that.”

But let’s not forget that the reputations of the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs were at stake, espousing the pitching done by their respective celebrities. The Rangers noted that Spieth threw “a hard strike,” while the Cubs said that Johnson “registered 95 on the radar gun.”

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Spieth, who floundered a ceremonial pitch in 2013, was quick to make sure his previous attempt was forgotten, making sure to stress that he had been practicing. He said, “It was better than last time. Last time, I was a little weak with it, and just kind of lobbed it in .This time I threw some pitches in the cages before and put a little speed on it to try and get ready.”

On the other hand, Johnson made sure to stress that he was a much bigger fan of college football and college basketball. He does note, though, that baseball has its merits. “But when it comes to going to a [basketball/football] game, going to a venue, going to the park, it doesn’t really compare,” Johnson said. “I mean beer and peanuts. I mean I’m a happy camper. My boys are playing it now, so obviously that becomes an element and a part of it. We do lot in the summer, just throwing the ball around in the park.”