This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Haliey Welch, better known as the Hawk Tuah Girl, threw out the first pitch at Citi Field on Thursday.
And who could’ve seen this coming, but the internet did not take kindly to that stunt.
Welch went viral earlier this summer for saying “hawk tuah” in a drunken interview and has become the internet’s heartbeat ever since. She’s done paid events, showed up ringside with Lil Pump at Jake Paul’s last fight and is now doing the first pitch circuit.
Baseball fans everywhere were confused and angered by this. It seems like everyone in the online baseball world is tired of seeing her. From that video of her first pitch, it’s at least endearing that she continually brings her friend from the viral video everywhere with her.
The Mets honored her by blowing a five-run lead against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon. They lost the game 7-6, and fans will now be hoping that Welch isn’t the anti-Grimace, the famed McDonald’s mascot that brought the organization good karma earlier this season.
WFAN radio host Sal Licata had an epic meltdown about Welch’s first pitch.
“The Yankees have Aaron Judge and Juan Soto breaking records,” Licata exclaimed. “And the Mets have Grimace and now Hawk Tuah! Come on, bro. I cannot take it!”
Licata’s point in his Hawk Tuah rant was actually sound. While it’s not the end of the world that she threw out a first pitch, it becomes a laughing stock when the product on the field is bad. The Mets are 62-59 and currently in third place in the National League East.
They’re far from the worst team in baseball, but they consistently invent new ways to embarrass themselves.
Welch went viral for an inappropriate comment in a viral video. According to Mets beat reporter Tim Healey, he was not allowed to mention who threw out the first pitch at Citi Field for Newsday.
Folks are so infuriated with Welch’s 15 minutes of fame that she’s literally getting canceled from being mentioned in major national publications. Healey said in the replies to that post that he was not even allowed to mention “Hawk Tuah” by her real name, like competing outlets.
They say that if you have haters, it must mean you’re doing something right. In Welch’s case, I am not too sure what that means. But one thing’s for sure: She has plenty of haters in the baseball community, and I’m not sure she will be throwing any additional first pitches.
