Keanu Reeves Throws Out Pacific Palisades Baseball Association's First Pitch of 2017

Keanu Reeves threw out the first pitch at the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association (PPBA) opening day ceremonies on Saturday. The versatile actor has been in more than 90 movies, including John Wick: Chapter 2, which opened last month to favorable reviews.

Reeves was asked to throw out the first pitch by Basil Iwanyk, founder of Thunder Road Pictures production company.

Before throwing out the first pitch, Keanu Reeves emphasized the kids should play hard and have fun this year. Photo: Bart Bartholomew

“This is fun, it’s youth sports, and it’s a nice day,” said Reeves, in explaining why he had accepted. The actor, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, grew up in Canada, but also lived in New York City.

A New York Yankees fan, Reeves was a hockey goalie all through high school, but has “original baseball” experience having played American stickball in Manhattan, first at Riverside and 88th and then on 77th Street between Second and Third Avenues.

Pancake Breakfast Saturday has been called the second-best day in the Palisades (the Fourth of July ranked first). Reeves, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005, was asked if he might like to be a grand marshal in the Pacific Palisades parade. The West Hollywood resident was noncommittal, but finally replied “maybe.”

PPBA Commissioner Bob Benton introduced Village School 6th grader Kieran Cooper, who sang the National Anthem.

Reeves, a lefty, threw the first pitch to Mustang player, Kate St. John. Her older brothers, Will and Pete, played in PPBA for years, and her mom Lisa St. John, a founding Principal of L.A. Realty Partners, also organized the pancake breakfast for many years.

This year’s pancake breakfast co-chairs were Natalie Iwanyk and Sara Dorband.

Uniform sponsors are: Palisades Patrol, Sons of the American Legion Squadron 283, Norris Hardware, Amalfi Estates, Village 76, US Bank, Kay ‘N Dave’s, Dr. Richard Jacobson, Joy Stowell Designs, StorQuest Self Storage, Bentons Sports Shop, Sue Kohl— Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Pacific Palisades Medical Group, Palisadian-Post, Sotheby’s International Realty, Ronny’s Market, Movies in the Park, Palisades Garden Café, Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts, Barney’s Beanery, The Yogurt Shoppe and Skinner Vineyards.