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Pretty cool pic. Apparently it's from 2008. Anyone know if video circulates?

I thought Brian was right handed!

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Ha. You can't even Google "Brian Wilson beard" anymore without the pitcher gettin' all up in your bizness.

Here is someone's flickr album of the pitch: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7992569@N08/sets/72157629300143071/

September 25, 2008

Cool stuff.  :3d

(One thing though: I don't know much about baseball but is one supposed to pitch the ball so.. er... high?  8o)

His health sure has declined a lot since then..   :(

I kinda wish the Dodgers were playing the Giants that night (maybe they were) and the two Brian Wilsons could've posed for a picture together. I'm not sure which Brian Wilson has had more injuries the last couple of years...

wonder what was with the number 12 choice?

If one is not in the shape of throwing a pitch 60 feet 6 inches everyday, esp. in front of a stadium full of people and you are also 66 years old, you better get some arc on it. Brian had a lot of guts throwing off the rubber as most folks do it from well in front of the mound...

Brian looks like Fernando Valenzuela - the way he looks to the heavens upon release.  Left handed batters would be scared to death of this guy Wilson......

Reminds me of that other picture from '76 that I always liked. The bearded Bri with the Wilson glove next to his face.  :-D

In '08, it was Jeff Kent's number.  Both Kent and Brian Wilson (Giants) are big Beach Boys fans - maybe Kent loaned him his jersey.

http://www.dodgersblueheaven.com/2012/12/celebrating-number-12-on-day-of-12s.htm

I knew Kent was 12, but I had no idea that he and Wilson were BB fans

Yeah, Kent was. And pitcher Brian Wilson is a huge fan. He's made numerous comments to the media about The Beach Boys over the years. I read where he acknowledged Brian as a legend and genius. A teammate once called Wilson (the pitcher) the "Legendary Brian Wilson", and he corrected him and said, "No, there's only one of those in the world"!

I had no idea this happened..

Thanks for the pic

I think in the beautiful dreamer video, but not positive, Brian says he played baseball throughout high school and could hit the long ball pretty well, but sucked at hitting curve balls.

Maybe he got confused and was actually catching it. 

That would have been a good pic. I think our (the Giants) Brian Wilson is going to go off to some other team. But we're keeping this one here - even if he does have a  . . . Dodgers jersey. . .  on.

Those who know baseball, what do you think? Does Brian have good form?

He shouldn't give up his day job. ;D

It's not bad for a (then) 66 year old.  And as I said above, almost nobody has the guts to throw the ceremonial first pitch from the actual pitching rubber, most folks go from about 15 feet in front of the mound. I played baseball in junior college and am 45 years old now.  If given the chance to throw out the first pitch at any game, much less one at Dodger Stadium in front of thousands, I'd think long and hard and take several practice sessions before throwing from the rubber,  so I give Brian major points for that

Okay, I love Brian Wilson. :)

Take a look at Brian on the large video screen behind. For some reason, he's on a split second delay, but that shot shows good throwing form. The Flicker photos also show Brian following through. So, yeah, he has good pitching motion, unlike many celebrities who throw like a girl, no chauvinistic offense intended. And, I need a life... :lol

It's hard to critique Brian's form without a video. A good pitcher will keep his eyes on the target (the Catcher). For some reason Brian is looking up, like he wants to throw the ball to somebody in the stands. That's why I made the comment above about Brian looking like Fernando Valenzuela, because his eyes use to look up before his delivery. Brian is what they call a "Southpaw" (a left-handed thrower). But yeah, for a 66 year old guy, his throwing arm is extended and his leg is stepping off the mound in the right direction! He's throwing off the rubber instead of the full wind up which is fine.....

What an honor for him to be throwing out the first ball! And another one last year to have the group on the field for the first game! The Dodgers really did it right!

P.S. I like the way the umpire in the picture is checking out Brian, like he's watching closely for a balk or something. Ha Ha!  

You can't see the Catcher on the big screen.

Interesting that Brian writes with his right hand and is shown pitching with his left. Which makes me wonder if he's ambidextrous baseball-wise. Does anyone know of early photos of him pitching or throwing? How about his batting stance?

Here is one of a few pictures that I've seen him with a baseball glove on. Obviously a left-handed thrower here:

http://www.mostlymuppet.com/2011/04/11/whats-the-plural-form-of-brian-wilson/bw_bb_3/

This one shows him batting right-handed up on Laurel Way in L.A. (right column)

https://www.facebook.com/thebeachboysbrianwilsonfanpage

Maybe someone can find the picture of Brian in a batting stance at Hawthorne High with a windbreaker jacket on.

Batting stance isn't the tell-tale sign of which way he throws though. I'm right handed and my Dad taught me to bat left. And you know about switch-hitting, I'm sure....

Another picture of Brian on that day (my birthday in '08). He's throwing from behind the rubber!

http://mattywoody.smugmug.com/Sports/Dodgers-clinch-NL-West-vs-San/6094617_Tk8t97/382689728_DmK8x8f#!i=382689728&k=DmK8x8f

Brian writes righty and throws lefty; Carl wrote lefty and played guitar righty...

Pretty good batting stance here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151463468987241&set=a.452661542240.241240.34250497240&type=1&theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151463468987241&set=a.452661542240.241240.34250497240&type=1&theater)

Also, there's a segment in the On Tour DVD that, I believe, shows him swinging a bat with Daria and Delanie.

Hey Mikie, I don't wanna be a dick, I'm just bored, not looking for trouble, but...

I think that's a photographer or camera person, not an umpire, and, I think that picture of Brian with the Wilson glove is from 1983, not 1976.

I know it hasn't been seriously debated, but it kinda shows/proves that Brian didn't have a stroke or at the very least, a minor stroke, because he would'n't be able to wind up like and throw like that if he did at his age (then 65).

You're not being a dick at all, Sheriff.

I may be mis-remembering here. I could have sworn that I saw the picture with Brian and the Wilson glove in one of those concert booklets from the late 70's. Is there another one or only one? For some reason I thought I saw that in the 70's.

And you're right - I think that's a photograher standing there - not an umpire.  I thought that was an umpire standing there! Maybe I need new glasses.

Somewhat interesting then, here's another pic from Brian's Facebook ( 1968) that appears to show him with a glove on his left hand, throwing righty: 

http://www.facebook.com/officialbrianwilson?sk=photos#!/photo.php?fbid=10151342698712241&set=pb.34250497240.-2207520000.1361934093&type=3&theater

Don't see the one you're referring to, Bgas.

Was just looking through the 70's concert programs and I came up empty. I did see Brian dribbling a basketball left handed. And writing on sheet music on a piano right handed ('64).  Don't think I've ever seen anybody do that before - write with their right hand and throw with their left. Can't remember, anyway....

Hey Bgas, is that the only picture of Brian with the Wilson glove that you've seen?  I thought it was from '76. 

I think the negative is reversed (channeling Lieutenant Columbo). The part in Brian's hair is on the wrong side. :o

I..........don't..........think.........so.  That picture from '66 - the glove is on the LEFT hand!  What's up with that?  He can throw from both sides? Brian's bi-handed???

The photo of Brian circa 1959 in David Leaf's book shows him batting left-handed (although it could be a reversed image, hard to tell as there's no writing etc. to relate it to). Other images from circa 1968 show him batting rightly and pitching lefty.

Not necessarily. It all depends on the extent of the damage and how long ago; then again, my stroke was minor, and I still have some lingering effects 2 years on.

There's a variation of that photo in John Milward's Silver Anniversary book.

I don't have the Milward book handy. Is this the one in there?  Seems to me the one I saw before, Brian had a little smirk on his face.

http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/PN009111/brian-wilson-with-a-baseball-mitt

I have always wondered what Brian's bowling prowess is. I can imagine due to his height and swing, his averages would be reasonable. Did the other Boys also hang out at the bowling lanes?

Yet another variation of that photo from that session. The one in Milward's book does have Brian smiling a bit.

The one with the smirk is the one I'm most familiar with.  Always thought the shot was from mid-late 70's.

If what Sheriff says is true, the picture was only a couple of years old before it was published in Milward's book.  

This photo ^ is very similar to the one you're talking about. I know it's not gospel but it does say the photo was taken on 6/9/83. It's Brian in jeans, white jacket, and a black Hawaiian shirt; his beard is starting to show some gray, and Landy is actually standing in close proximity. I've seen other photos from the session, some with Brian sans jacket. From (fading) memory, I think I saw the photo in Musician magazine around 1985(?). I have it in a box; I'll have to dig it out.

Don't dismiss my theory about the negative being reversed in that earlier (1966?) photo. Look at the part in Brian's hair. The only time he parted his hair on that side was in the 1961-63 period. Or....maybe it's a quick pickup game and Brian was temporarily borrowing somebody's glove. You know how there is a shortage of lefthanders' gloves in pickup games.

Good memory, Sheriff. It is indeed Musician magazine from August 1985. That's the same photo that appears in Milward's book.

I picked up that issue of Musicain when it came out. Here's some more of them, including the Wilson-glove picture we're talking about, complete with a fake autograph!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html;jsessionid=250564E9950D12932773E9830A8A4AA2?_nkw=Musician%20Magazine%2082%20August%201985%20Brian%20Wilson&_itemId=260843171694

Sorry to bump this up but the baseball player Brian Wilson is pitching with the Dodgers now.

Coincidence? I don't think so  :3d

Yep, now it's going to be even more confusing with two celebrity Brian Wilson's in L.A.

One of these Brian Wilson's refuses to shave his beard.  Even after being offered a million bucks!

They both had surgery in 2012 and both had their season end prematurely. :o ;D :police: