Belle of the Ball
By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
RAFU SPORTS EDITOR
Saturday, May 17, 2008

Kristi Yamaguchi tosses the first pitch at Dodger Stadium, along with some insight on her ‘Dancing.’

Photos by MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS/Rafu Shimpo

Yamaguchi warmed up with husband Bret Hedican for
her pitching debut on the Dodger Stadium mound.

DODGER STADIUM.–It seems odd to say that a woman who was the greatest figure skater in the world is finding herself having to adjust to her celebrity status, but that’s precisely where Kristi Yamaguchi finds herself.

“Being an Olympic gold medalist is great, but it wasn’t until I was asked to be on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ then I was on ‘Oprah’ right away,” she laughed.

Yamaguchi, who struck gold in 1992 at both the Olympics and World Championships, has been enjoying a new wave of popularity as a result of her appearance and subsequent success on the ABC dance competition series. On May 9, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium, prior to the Dodgers-Astros game.

The show, which is based on a British television series of the same format, is now in its sixth season on ABC and is a runaway hit. The 36-year-old Yamaguchi and her professional dancing partner Mark Ballas, are one of four teams remaining in the current season’s competition. The pair were hoping on Tuesday to earn their way to the finals, after one team was set to be eliminated on that evening’s broadcast.

“It’s not something you get asked to do every day,” Yamaguchi said of being asked to appear before the Dodger game. “It’s definitely a special occasion. Hopefully, I can get a few more people here to vote for us and get their support. At this point, it’s the semi-finals, so it’s coming down to reaching out to the masses.”

Yamaguchi said although the show has proven to be far more work than she had first imagined, she has been enjoying the experience. It also seems to have reawakened her competitive edge.

“It’s a lot of work; many, many hours a day in the studio, which is probably a little more than I initially thought, but once you get into the competition, you want to do well,” she said.

For the pitching occasion, Yamaguchi brought along her husband and father of their two kids, Stanley Cup Champion and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Bret Hedican. He made note of how participating in Dodger activities, as well as the dancing, fits in with their sports background.

“We’re in our element here, maybe more than she is on the dance floor,” Hedican said. “It’s fun watching her perform. She’s done a great job on the show and we’re just riding this wave we’ve been on.”

The wave has included the couple’s first encounters with the paparazzi, who have swarmed them as she competes on “Dancing With the Stars,” which is televised from Los Angeles. Yamaguchi said she has learned that the entertainment business is farther from sports than any realize.

“I knew the popularity of the show and I was a fan myself, but I had to come to grips with the fact that 20 million viewers would be watching every week,” she admitted “I had to ask, ‘Do you really want to do it?’ The tradeoff is enjoying the experience of learning how to dance and being part of all that.”

Her training ethic was evident even for the momentary showcase at the stadium. She arrived on the field a good 30 minutes before she was to deliver the photo-op toss, practicing her throwing form and asking for advice from those around her.

“I haven’t thrown a baseball in years, so this could be interesting,” she warned.
“Obviously, I’ve been dancing the last two months, so my arms are a little sore. We’ll see.”

After several errant throws, she admitted, “I have no idea where this ball is going.”

This was Yamaguchi’s first visit to Chavez Ravine and while she said she’s not a baseball expert, her acumen on the sport has been sharpened lately. In February, she was honored with the Thurman Munson Award, named for the late New York Yankees catcher and given to those who display excellence in competition and a dedication to philanthropic work. In 1996, Yamaguchi established the non-profit Always Dream Foundation, to help support organizations that have a positive influence on children.

As for a skating comeback, Yamaguchi didn’t flatly dismiss the possibility, but she didn’t offer any glimmers for hope for her longtime fans.

“I’ve slowed down on the ice a little bit,” she said with a TV-ready smile.

The pitch she threw, by the way, was a perfect strike.