Dawson, a 7-year-old with a robotic hand, will throw out the ceremonial pitch before Game 4 of the World Series on Oct. 28, USA Today Sports reported.
Dawson was born with a birth defect called Poland Syndrome. People with this defect have underdeveloped chest muscles that cause webbing in their hands. The engineering department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas created a robotic hand for Dawson and have been upgrading it as she grows. She is currently wearing her eighth version.
Dawson, a big baseball fan, threw out the first pitch at a UNLV game in 2014. Five months later, she threw out a pitch for the Baltimore Orioles. Since then she has thrown the first pitch for the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.
“Hailey’s inspirational story captured our attention and our teams have overwhelmingly embraced her goal to throw a first pitch at every MLB ballpark," Tony Petitti, MLB chief operating officer, told USA Today Sports. "We are very happy that Hailey will begin her quest by throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Game 4 of the World Series. We’re all looking forward to meeting her and the Dawson family at the Fall Classic.”
“She’s kind of a ham,” Dawson's mother, Yong Dawson, told All The Moms blog. “I initiated this. I thought it would be a good opportunity and encourage her grip. She could be silly and gain confidence.”
About the Author