NYCHA Employees Joined by Young Family Members for Mets First Pitch

For their moment in the spotlight at the Mets’ home stadium, two NYCHA employees decided to make it a family affair.  

Carpenter Christopher Tantillo and information technology staffer Darnes Taveras were each given the special opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Mets baseball game at Citi Field after having won complimentary tickets in a NYCHA lottery giveaway for employees.  

Mr. Tantillo chose to relinquish his spot on the mound in favor of his son at the August 11 game versus the Washington Nationals, while Ms. Taveras brought her nephew along to share the experience at the September 18 game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The move by both employees made the day for their young companions.  

“My son turned around, waved to the crowd, and the crowd really started cheering for him,” recalled Mr. Tantillo, a Staten Island resident who has worked at NYCHA since 2014. “As we were walking off the field, he was yelling, ‘I’m famous.’” 

Ms. Taveras noted that while she has two children, they were both in agreement that she should throw the pitch with her 12-year-old nephew, Alex, who plays in Little League and is a devoted Mets fan.  

“He knows all the trivia and he’s really into it,” explained Ms. Taveras, a Queens resident who serves as Director of Program and Portfolio Management in NYCHA’s IT Department. “It was a great experience for him, and I was so happy that I could share that with him.”  

Most ceremonial pitches take place before games with smaller crowds, but Mr. Tantillo and his 8-year-old son, James, had the fortune of doing their pitch in front of a more packed stadium during a double-header. They pitched after the conclusion of the seven-inning game from the previous night, though the second scheduled game was later postponed due to weather. The young baseball fan was a little antsy while waiting for his turn to pitch, but he rose to the occasion, according to his proud father.  

“He was really over the moon,” Mr. Tantillo observed. “He acted like a champ and did great.”  

Giving his son a rare chance to pitch in his place at a major league ballpark was an obvious choice, said Mr. Tantillo, adding that it created a “special bonding moment.” 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he stated. “It was definitely something special and something we can look back on.” 

Ms. Taveras and her nephew made sure to practice at home for their on-field performance, which she said paid off by helping avoid any major hiccups when it came time to pitch. Standing on the field certainly offers a contrasting perspective, but it’s not as intimidating as it may seem, Ms. Taveras described.  

“When you’re all the way up in the seats and you look down, the stadium looks so big and the players look so far away,” she said. “But when you’re down on the field and you look up, the stadium actually feels small. It’s like some optical illusion, and it feels intimate.”  

Mr. Tantillo also brought along his father and other son and Ms. Taveras was also joined by her two children and brother-in-law; they both noted how having their family witness the event made what was already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity even more memorable.  

“It was definitely an unforgettable night,” Mr. Tantillo concluded.  

Added Ms. Taveras: “Once I decided to do it, everything was just lovely. It was really perfect.” 

Photo caption: NYCHA carpenter Christopher Tantillo switched places so his son, James, could make the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field.