Take Us Out to the Ballgame (to Watch Director Vanessa Wyche Throw the First Pitch)

If you’re wondering what to do the evening of Monday, May 2, one idea would be to couple the love of space and the love of baseball and watch the hometown Houston Astros battle the Seattle Mariners in the series kickoff game. Bonus: NASA Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche is being honored by the team and will throw out the first pitch to open the game!

This game is also the first Monday night game where spectators will see the Astros in their new Space City jerseys — part of a three-year City Connect program in partnership with Nike to honor the “Space City” legacy of the team’s hometown in a special and highly visible way. The Astros will wear their symbolic space-inspired uniforms for each Monday home game, as well as the NASA Night game slated for Saturday, July 16. So far, the Astros, Washington Nationals, and Kansas City Royals are the three teams who have launched City Connect uniforms in 2022.

[Click to see how the Astros are honoring Space City at Astros.com/SpaceCity.]

Moreover, throughout the season, Johnson’s External Relations Office is continuing its efforts to work with the hometown heroes to highlight human space exploration, partners, future exploration, and significant accomplishments and contributions to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman models the new City Connect uniforms that made their debut in the April 20 home game against the Angels. Courtesy: Houston Astros

Join in the excitement

You can cheer on Wyche as she rockets her pitch across the plate. Get your tickets to the game via Starport.

On May 2, we welcome those working on-site to sport their favorite Astros jersey or the team’s colors.

Send Roundup (rounduptoday@mail.nasa.gov) your game-day pics (if you get to attend), or send us pics of you in your Astros gear for a spirited gallery feature. Images are due by Wednesday, May 4, for inclusion.