With Opening Day comes a fair amount of pomp and circumstance. Another year with no President on the mound to throw out the first pitch, but the Nationals honored
Billie Roy Cook, a two-tour Vietnam War veteran as an Officer in the 101st Airborne Division, where he earned two Bronze Stars, a Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, a Presidential Citation, and seven Battle Stars with the honor of throwing out the
ceremonial first pitch.
The 82-year-old graduate of Northwestern State University fired the ball across home plate, right into the mitt of catcher Kurt Suzuki, before a sell-out crowd of 42,263 fans erupted into applause. An announcer introduced Cook, who turned down offers to play in the major leagues in order to join the Army as an officer.
Cook is in Northwestern’s N-Club Hall of Fame and his No. 10 jersey is retired, . He won a school-record 29 games from 1957-59 as a right-handed pitcher.
WHY DID THIS NEED TO BE A BIG SECRET? 
