40 years in the making: Behind the scenes at Daniel James' Wrigley Field first pitch before Bellator 297
CHICAGO – After more than 40 years as a Chicagoan, Daniel James finally went inside one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
James, a Bellator heavyweight, never had been to Wrigley Field, the longtime home of the Chicago Cubs and a historic ballpark that is more than 100 years old. But Wednesday, he made his first visit – and threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
That’s not too shabby for a Wrigley debut.
Friday, James (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) fights Gokhan Saricam (8-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) to open the main card at Bellator 297 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. A win for James could have him in position to challenge for the heavyweight title his next time out.
Ahead of the fight, take a journey with James from the Chicago Loop to Wrigley Field for his first pitch in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.