Photographer Nailed in the Groin by First Pitch, Still Nails the Shot

The ceremonial first pitch at a Boston Red Sox baseball game went horribly (and comically) wrong yesterday, and a sports photographer behind the plate found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was captured on broadcast TV in the 50-second clip above.

Pediatric cancer survivor and 17-year-old high school pitcher Jordan Leandre had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park, but the ball slipped from his hand as he tossed it toward the plate. Instead of arriving in the glove of the catcher, it soared way too high and slammed into the groin of sports photographer Tony Capobianco.

Capobianco had his DSLR held up to his face as the ball came in, and after the impact, Capobianco immediately dropped the camera and hobbled away in pain.

Amazingly, though, he was actually able to nail the shot of the incoming ball. Capobianco posted the resulting photo on Twitter afterward for everyone to have a laugh:

My camera man @TonyCapobianco is the poor guy that took that first pitch in the McNuggets. Here's his view of it coming in. http://pic.twitter.com/NVD70hiIn2

— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) August 16, 2017

Feel free to caption this, America http://pic.twitter.com/ZUXdacFAXV

— Tony Capobianco (@TonyCapobianco) August 17, 2017

“THANK THE LAWD it was just a bit outside,” Capobianco Tweeted after the incident. “I’m the one who got hit and I will never stop laughing at that video.”