UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi’s perfect-10 floor routine defeated Sister Mary Jo Sobieck’s ceremonial first pitch for the 2019 ESPY Award for “Best Viral Sports Moment.”
Ohashi and Sister Mary Jo were competing against Texas A&M track star Infinite Tucker and Rudolph “Blaze” Ingram for the honor.
This routine landed @katelyn_ohashi a perfect 10 **and** the first-ever ESPY for Best Viral Sports Moment! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/fu19VCE9oH
— espnW (@espnW) July 10, 2019
The Marian Catholic High School theology teacher pointed to the sky in honor of her late mother and bounced the baseball off her bicep for momentum before throwing a dazzling curveball before the Sox’ game against the Royals on Aug. 18.
Mercy, Sister Mary Jo! https://t.co/oM9jBDT5N7
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 19, 2018
The pitch received millions of views on social media. Sister Mary Jo got a bobblehead made in her honor and her own Topps baseball card.
She reenacted the pitch during Marion Catholic’s send-off for her on Tuesday before heading out to Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards.
Sister Mary Jo threw another strike before she left for the ESPY Awards. pic.twitter.com/qb2aE0j63Z
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) July 9, 2019
While Sister Mary Jo still carries a competitive spirit from her collegiate softball career and wanted to win the award, she was happy with everything that’s come from this.
“It’s not so much about material goods as much as it’s about I’m strong in wanting people to come together and win as a human family,” Sister Mary Jo said during her send-off. “Yes, I’m competitive. If I do not bring home the ESPY do I feel like I’ve lost? Absolutely not. All of this has been a win.”
