Major league baseball legendary pitcher and US beef friendly ambassador Nolan Ryan throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the American Meat Match between the Chiba Lotte Marines and the Orix Buffaloes at Chiba Marine Stadium in Chiba, near Tokyo, Wednesday, July 18, 2007.
Ryan is a very good friend of former major leaguer Bobby Valentine, now a manager of the Marines in Japan's Pacific League.