On the heels of his company's 50th anniversary, Ralph Lauren threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium
Legendary fashion designer Ralph Lauren loves sports. Born and raised in the Bronx, Lauren has watched his fair share of Yankees games.
"As a kid, it was my whole life, being involved with the Yankees and being a fan," Lauren told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "Wanting to be Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, and going up to the plate like DiMaggio. He used to move his leg in a certain way. It had a big impact on me as a kid. I couldn't afford to go to the stadium, so I was in the bleachers. I remember asking Whitey Ford for his autograph, and he said, 'Get back to the bleachers, kid.'"
You can imagine his excitement when he was at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night as the team took on the Red Sox and threw out the ceremonial first pitch -- a one-hopper to
His relationship with the pinstripes stretches beyond the throw from the mound. The designer has collaborated with the Yankees to create a limited-edition line to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ralph Lauren. It includes a satin baseball jacket, a New Era "RL 50" cap, a Wilson leather baseball glove (complete with a "Ralph 50th logo") and a Rawlings commemorative baseball.
"I'm thrilled," Lauren explained. "I think it's great. I love the Yankees. I'm proud of my own company, but I love the Yankees. I think they're a great company, a great team that really has grown. That's my life. That's the only team I know and the only team I'm ever going to know. The Yankees."
And he's been paying attention to the current players as well.
"I'm familiar with [Aaron Judge]," Lauren said. "Great ballplayer. Kids tend to look at the great guys."
We know Ralph can pull off the baseball uniform look -- he was sporting one of the caps from his line which is complete with his autograph across the bill.
Looked like a natural.
