Tom Hanks reunites with Wilson for first pitch at Cleveland Guardians home opener

CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 15: Actor and Cleveland Guardians fan Tom Hanks holds his co-star Wilson before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the home opener against the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field on April 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Tom Hanks helped usher in a new era for Cleveland baseball with his first pitch at Progressive Field – bringing along a special guest of his own.

Tom Hanks, throwing out the first pitch for the Cleveland Guardians’ home opener, also reunited with one of his most famous co-stars Friday night at Progressive Field.

That’s right, Hanks was accompanied by Wilson the volleyball, his co-star from the 2000 film Cast Away. Emblazoned with the Guardians’ Diamond C on his back, Wilson made a little show of things on the mound with Hanks, constantly rolling away while the actor was trying to throw his pitch to Larry Doby Jr.

Now, you might be asking: Why did Hanks bring Wilson along with him to perform a little skit before throwing out the first pitch? What was the point of that? The answer, of course, is who cares? It was Tom Hanks and it was fun, as baseball is supposed to be. Still, though, American baseball has a long way to go to match the absurdly wonderful theatrics of first pitches in other countries.

Hanks, of course, has a true connection to Cleveland. He spent some of the formative years of his career in the city, interning at the Great Lakes Theater Festival in the mid-70s. He even won the 1978 Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his performance as Proteus in Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, so really, the entire world can thank Cleveland for the Tom Hanks you’ve all come to know and love.