94-Year-Old WWII Vet to Throw Out First Pitch at Bulls Game Friday

Dub Karriker, a recipient of the Purple Heart who was wounded on Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy 70 years ago, will throw out the first pitch Friday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park before the Bulls game against Pawtucket.

Friday, June 6, 2014, marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the allied invasion of Normandy during World War II where casualties numbered in the thousands.

The 94-year-old Karriker went on to coach Babe Ruth League baseball in Arkansas for 60 years after leaving the service. He was at DBAP last Friday to practice the first pitch saying that if he knew how big the park was, he would have been more nervous to accept the invitation.

Post-war, Karriker has been recognized for his baseball efforts with inductions into the Babe Ruth Southwest Region Hall of Fame as well as the Union County (Ark.) Sports Hall of Fame. He was given the 2011 Babe Ruth Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award – the highest honor given in the Babe Ruth League.

In 2009, Karriker was certified as the oldest youth baseball coach in the United States at the age of 90.

The Bulls took on Pawtucket in the third of a four-game set Thursday. The teams will wrap up the series Friday night at DBAP starting at 7 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m.

Thanks to WRALSportsFan.com’s Aaron Schoonmaker for this capcom story & thanks to CS’ George Habel for these capcom photos.