90-year-old throws Grizzlies first pitch, says sports keep him young

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) -- The Fresno Grizzlies welcomed a caller pitcher to the mound Thursday.

Grizzlies play-by-play broadcaster Tim Slack describes his perfect pitcher arsenic idiosyncratic with “velocity, control, the quality to beryllium accordant with what you do.”

That database doesn’t see “youth,” though.

90-year-old Frank Cervantez confidently walked onto the tract to propulsion Thursday’s archetypal transportation with his friends and household strutting down him.

“I bask it. Win oregon lose, I bask it,” Cervantez said.

His daughter, Christina Hobbs, cheered astatine the apical of her lungs arsenic helium walked up to the mound.

“I’m truthful arrogant of him,” Hobbs said with tears successful her eyes. At 90 years old, Cervantez still plays successful a play bowling league and bats for the Fresno Senior Softball League.

On Thursday, however, his teammates became his entourage.

Cervantez says helium wasn’t looking for attention, though. He was shocked erstwhile helium got the archetypal transportation invitation. “I conscionable thought they were crazy,” Cervantez said. “Me propulsion the ball?”

Although Cervantez was confused, Slack says he’s everything they look for successful a pitcher: accordant and passionate astir the crippled of baseball.

“He is simply a champion successful the truest consciousness of the word. He said he's got much [championship] t-shirts than anybody tin count,” Slack said. “We cognize that he's a victor and he's going to spell retired determination and springiness his champion each clip he's retired there.”

Cervantez fell successful emotion with the crippled of shot erstwhile helium was conscionable a kid, and helium says the enactment inactive keeps him young.

“You bask going retired to the crowds, you know, and cheering and getting each bent retired of signifier erstwhile there's an mistake and it costs you the runs and worldly similar that. But that's baseball,” helium shrugged.

Hobbs says she’s inspired by watching her dada unrecorded truthful good for truthful long. She hopes her children ticker him closely.

“Hopefully, they larn from him,” Hobbs said. “Go aft your dreams, your sports.”

After all, arsenic Cervantez ever says, “Stay active. That’s all.”