Receiving a pitching compliment from a Chicago Cubs coach doesn’t happen every day, but after Monday’s game, Weinberg sophomore Steven Pomerantz has that claim to fame.
Pomerantz was one of four guests to throw out a “first pitch” Monday at the Cubs game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He also was one of about 700 Northwestern students who went to the game, which marked the end of NU’s first Greek Week.
Donning a purple NU sweatshirt, Pomerantz, a member of Chi Psi fraternity and the Interfraternity Council’s vice president for programming, stood on the pitcher’s mound of Wrigley Field in front of more than 30,000 people, almost a sell-out game.
After his pitch to Wendell Kim, the Cubs third-base coach, Kim told Pomerantz, “I’m impressed — you put a spin on it.”
In addition to being allowed to keep the Kim-signed baseball as a souvenir, Pomerantz also got to live out a dream of every baseball fan.
“I’m very jealous of Steve, being a big Cubs fan,” said Brad Rifkin, a Weinberg junior in Sigma Phi Epsilon. “I told him I hated him just now.”
The three other “first-pitch” honorees were not associated with NU. Pomerantz, who was in charge of organizing all the Greek Week events, purchased 700 tickets for NU students, and he said he sold every one of them.
“I thought it would be a great idea to have an all-Greek trip to a Cubs game,” Pomerantz said. “It’s a reward for everybody for making it such a great week.”
When purchasing the tickets for Monday’s game, Pomerantz asked Cubs representative Karry Kerness about throwing out the first pitch.
She said people who buy more than 500 tickets for a game are usually invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch, if the spot is available.
Kerness said it was no problem seating all the NU students together because it was a weeknight game early in the baseball season. But she joked that one staple of baseball games was off limits to the students.
“I told all the beer vendors to stay out of that section,” Kerness said with a laugh.
Still, drinking was part of the evening’s allure for some — including Kappa Sigma member Robert Heuchling.
“You drink a 40 (ounce), come to the Cubs game and love life,” said Heuchling, a Medill senior, as a fellow Kappa Sig handed him a beer.
The game, which ended in a 5-3 loss for the Cubs, was the only non-competitive Greek Week event, and students said they appreciated the opportunity to get out of Evanston and mingle with fellow fraternity and sorority members.
“A Cubs game is the greatest game ever with the greatest team ever at the greatest place ever,” said Chris Knight, a Kappa Sig member and Weinberg junior. “I’m psyched to hell Northwestern does this.”
