Dr Fauci’s baseball card breaks printing records after opening pitch for Washington Nationals

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Dr Anthony Fauci's baseball card following him throwing the opening pitch at the Washington Nationals home opener has set an all-time high printing record.

The nation's top infectious disease expert was invited by the Washington Nationals to throw the first pitch last Thursday in honour of the return of the baseball season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Topps, a baseball card company, announced it would be releasing a limited-edition baseball card of the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to mark him throwing the opening pitch for the game against the New York Yankees.

"A strong effort to the plate," the company wrote when sharing the baseball card for fans.

The picture used by the company showed the expert throwing the pitch just as it left his hand. Dr Fauci's pitch ultimately missed the home plate by a fair margin.

Topps announced on Monday that Dr Fauci's baseball card set an "all-time high print run record" after 51,512 cards cards were ordered by fans.

This record happened even though Dr Fauci's pitch didn't land exactly where he hoped it would go.

"It went in the wrong direction," he told The Washington Post on Friday. "I joked around after and said I used to be a shortstop when I played ball as a young boy and I thought I was supposed to throw to first base."

The start of Major League Baseball's 2020 season, which typically begins in March, was delayed until July because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Like other sports, the MLB was forced to rethink how many games it would have and how they would be played for the 2020 season to prevent the spread of the novel virus.

Dr Fauci, who described himself as a Nationals fan, was clad in baseball team memorabilia by wearing a T-shirt, matching hat, and mask for the event. He was later pictured sitting in the stands with his wife and a family friend to watch the game.

The MLB season will not be open to fans in the crowd due to the pandemic.

The Yankees won the first game of the season 4-1.