Wiz Khalifa was on mushrooms when he threw out the first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game
Rapper and cannabis connoisseur Wiz Khalifa threw out the first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game this week—and it turns out weed may not have been the only thing in his system.
The Pittsburgh native was allegedly high on mushrooms when he took the mound, teasing his mental state on Twitter prior to arriving at PNC Park.
Before the game, Wiz tweeted, “Finna get stoned af and throw this first pitch at the pirates game” but added a minute later, “Shroomed out throwin a baseball is crazy.”
Shroomed out throwin a baseball is crazy.
— Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) July 17, 2023
Wiz waved to the crowd happily for a solid ten seconds upon being introduced by the Pirates PA announcer. Wiz may or may not have been in his flow state by the wind-up, tossing the ball with gusto and seeing it land just outside of the plate. After the pitch, the Black and Yellow rapper gave a little shrug and walked off.
Pittsburgh native @wizkhalifa threw out the first pitch at the @Pirates game! 🖤💛
(MLB x @SiriusXM) pic.twitter.com/UdQIFhoW4A
— MLB (@MLB) July 18, 2023
In his decision to eat ‘shrooms, the rapper may have been channeling the late Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis, who threw a no-hitter in a 1970 game against the San Diego Padres while on LSD.
Some fans may have been surprised to see Wiz on the field, considering what happened the last time he threw out a first pitch in 2017. In that instance, Wiz donned a “Legalize It” shirt and mimed hitting a joint right before his big moment.
Major League Baseball (MLB) officials condemned the action at the time, telling a local ABC affiliate: “Marijuana is a prohibited substance in all of our drug programs, and it is unfortunate this situation occurred. The Pirates have informed us that this should not have happened.”
Wiz responded to the criticism, saying, “I stand for pot. I go for it everywhere that I’m at. When you invite me, you know that’s what you inviting. It is what it is, but at the end, of the day, legalize it.”
Since then, the MLB has softened its stance on cannabis. The league announced last year that it would allow sponsorships from CBD brands. Soon after, Charlotte’s Web became the “official CBD of Major League Baseball.”
High-profile examples of celebrities showcasing their support of cannabis are another opportunity for normalization. Sports leagues may be slow to catch up to their Hollywood counterparts, but change is happening. In addition to the MLB, the National Basketball League, and National Football League both have shifted cannabis policy in the last couple of years.
