The easiest way to quiet the boo birds during a baseball game is to go yard, but even the most diehard Kansas basketball fans wouldn’t expect the man doing that yardwork to be head coach Bill Self.
Kansas City is home to this week’s baseball all-star game, and Sunday night the Royals hosted a celebrity softball game. Self took part in the event, something Missouri fans voiced their displeasure about on numerous occasions. But on the first pitch that he saw from Jennie Finch, Self lined a homerun to left.
Making the homerun all the more impressive is the fact that Self pulled his hamstring on Saturday preparing for this event.
“I was nervous because I couldn’t run to first,” Self said. “I thought I better do some running for this and I mistakenly put the treadmill on ‘four-minute mile.’”
Self wore No. 8 to the event, which was supposed to be 08. He requested the number to honor the national title that he won.
“I wish I could have worn a 12,” Self said in reference to his team’s trip to the national title game this season. “That would have been really cool to wear a 12 this year.”
Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.