‘Rookie of the Year’ actor returns to Wrigley Field to throw out first pitch

It’s been 21 years since the movie “Rookie of the Year” hit theaters — a film about a 12-year-old boy who breaks his arm and is suddenly able to throw a 100+ mph fastball, later joining the Chicago Cubs and taking the MLB by storm.

Thomas Ian Nicholas, who played the protagonist Henry Rowengartner, returned to Wrigley Field — which turns 100 this year — on Saturday to throw the ceremonial first pitch before a Cubs-Atlanta Braves contest.

Nicholas neither summoned the character’s blazing fastball nor his iconic “float” pitch as he kicked off Saturday’s game. He simply tossed it to the catcher the way an average fan would, although he did so with the same arm motion that Rowengartner displayed in the movie.

Still got it. Henry Rowengartner, err.. we mean Thomas Ian Nicholas, fires in today's ceremonial first pitch. pic.twitter.com/gMuRt1TsfX

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 12, 2014

Nicholas turned 34 this week and is still staying busy acting, but he also spends time in the recording booth. On Twitter, he touted his live acoustic show close to Wrigley that was to follow the Cubs-Braves game.

Playing an acoustic show at GINGERMAN Tavern right after the @Cubs game – 6pm pic.twitter.com/83PXqTQP9U

— Thomas Ian Nicholas (@TINBand) July 12, 2014

He also led the team’s seventh-inning stretch apparently.

Here's Thomas Ian Nicholas (@TINBand) singing today's 7th inning stretch: pic.twitter.com/mhUbfN2gUL

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 12, 2014

Last year while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the baseball comedy, Nicholas threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field, but in this case he floated the ball to the catcher, as seen near the end of the Daniel Stern-directed film.

The “Rookie of the Year” magic didn’t work Saturday for the Cubs, however, as they fell to Atlanta 11-6.

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