People: Phenom’s first pitch a strike at Series
Cameras flashed, the crowd rose for a thunderous ovation and Mo’ne Davis did exactly what she was expected to do – fire a strike right down the middle.
From Little League phenom to the star of her own commercial to World Series celebrity, the 13-year-old Davis has been on quite a ride these past few months.
She continued her remarkable journey on the biggest baseball stage of all Saturday when she threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals.
“Just to be at the World Series is pretty cool,” Davis said. “If I didn’t throw a strike, I don’t know what I would do. Throwing a strike was probably the best part.”
Shakira teams up with toy maker
Shakira is partnering with Fisher-Price to launch a line of baby toys as well as a Web series for moms.
The Mattel Inc.-owned company announced Friday that the First Steps collection of toys and baby gear would be available in November. Shakira co-developed six products, including a bouncer that plays music, alphabet blocks and a musical soccer ball, an ode to her soccer-playing boyfriend Gerard Pique, who plays for FC Barcelona.
All of the proceeds will benefit her Barefoot Foundation, which provides education and nutrition to children in impoverished areas of her native Colombia. Pre-order on Amazon for the products begins Monday.
Geoff Walker, executive vice president of the Fisher-Price Global Brands Team, said in an interview that Shakira contacted the company about collaborating.
The 12-part Web series debuts Monday and targets millennials. Some of the minute-long episodes will feature her son.
Shakira is one of the most popular celebrities on social media. She is the first person to reach 100 million likes on Facebook.
The birthday bunch
Actress Jaclyn Smith is 69. TV host Pat Sajak is 68. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is 67. Singer Maggie Roche (The Roches) is 63. Musician Bootsy Collins is 63. Rock musician Keith Strickland (The B-52’s) is 61. Actor D.W. Moffett is 60. Actress-singer Rita Wilson is 58. Actor Cary Elwes is 52. Singer Natalie Merchant is 51. Country singer Keith Urban is 47. Writer-producer Seth MacFarlane (TV: “Family Guy”) is 41. Actor Jon Heder is 37.