British Army officer honoured with first pitch at pro baseball game in Washington
A British Army officer was invited to throw the first pitch at a Washington Nationals baseball game to mark 34 years of service, much of it working with US allies.
With just 30 minutes' notice to get in a few practice throws in, Colonel Paul Bates – who in his spare time is a qualified cricket coach – stepped onto the field and confidently threw the baseball into the catcher's mitt.
The unique experience took place at the fourth annual UK-US Friendship Day at Nationals Park, the home of the Washington Nationals team.
The event to celebrate the UK's special relationship with the US focuses on defence and featured Union Jack flags, bagpipes and a pre-game flyover of three T-45 Goshawks flown by US and UK pilots, with comms support from the US Navy to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Royal Navy pilots Lt Luke O’Sullivan and Lt Tommy Brownlee joined forces with US Marine Capt Ben Sevy in the sky and US Navy pilot Lt Sarah Lykins on the rooftop to put on the impressive display.
The ceremonial first pitch is a much-loved baseball ritual during which a well-known figure or someone being honoured throws a ball to officially start the game. Last year Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was at the mound.
This time the honour fell to Col Bates who retires next month after more than three decades of distinguished service in the British Army – much of it alongside American service personnel.
In the run-up to last year's UK-US Friendship Day, the British officer questioned the Washington Nationals team on some everyday British lingo – leaving a few of them baffled.
This year, after successfully throwing the baseball, Col Bates posed for a photo with Washington Nationals mascot Screech, a giant bald eagle dressed in the team's jersey and cap.
After joining the Royal Artillery in 1992, Col Bates deployed on his first operational tour to Northern Ireland.
Following another tour of Northern Ireland and then two tours of duty in Cyprus, the officer was called to serve twice in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was 'downrange' with US Marines for more than a year.
He describes his time with the USMC as a "privilege and an honour".
For his work with the USMC, the US Department of Defense awarded Col Bates the US Meritorious Service Medal.
After two years as an exchange officer teaching at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, he then moved to Washington DC to the British Embassy as the Assistant Military Attaché, before moving to Norfolk, Virginia, where he is currently the UK's liaison representative to Nato.
As well as completing seven operational tours, commanding a regiment and volunteering for veterans' charities, Col Bates has supported his family through 12 house moves and his children through more than 16 different schools. His family was in the US when his oldest son died suddenly aged 13.
Col Bates, whose younger sons attended Washington Liberty High School in Arlington, leaves the British Army in July after more than three decades of service.
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