Scott Probasco III Throws Out Braves Pitch To Honor Father

Scott Probasco III of Lookout Mountain received a rare treat before the Atlanta Braves’ home baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday night – he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
 
He managed to keep the ball up, too, just as his late father he was honoring was known for keeping people’s spirits up through his enthusiasm and optimistic manner.
 
“I didn’t bounce it,” he joked over the telephone Friday night, admitting that he had been nervous, in part because he was familiar with the numerous YouTube videos of celebrities and others making embarrassingly bad opening pitches.
 
The honor came about because SunTrust Bank, a major Braves sponsor, was participating in that game’s opening ceremonies. Since longtime Chattanooga banker Scott “Scotty” Probasco Jr. had been affiliated with SunTrust in various capacities before his death in April, the bank wanted to honor his memory by having a family member throw out the opening pitch.
 
A representative of the bank originally contacted Scott III’s younger brother, Ben, of the Kinsey Probasco Hays development firm and asked the family to decide which member would throw out the ball, and Ben deferred to Scott III, thinking he might be more appropriate due in part to his name. As a result, Scott spent a few days warming up his throwing arm with his son, Walker Probasco, admitting he had not really thrown a baseball in 20 years.
 
He also had a few days of trying to get his emotions in shape for getting out briefly in front of a Ted Turner Field crowd that reached nearly 29,000 before the game ended. To help with all of that, he was receiving advice from everyone from Chattanooga businessman and former major league pitcher Clay Parker to the New York Yankees, where another son, William, works in the marketing department.  
 
And when the time came to throw out the pitch, his picture was shown on the giant video board in centerfield, and he was announced simply as Scott Probasco representing SunTrust.
 
The announcer made no reference to Scotty Probasco, but Scott III said he did by looking to the sky and having a brief moment of reflection in honor of his father.
 
“I said, ‘Dad, I’m going to try to do great work and get it over the plate,’ ” Mr. Probasco said, a reference to the late Mr. Probasco’s famous compliment to numerous people of “great work.”
 
Mr. Probasco, whose family long headed the former American National Bank before it became part of what is now SunTrust, was actually a diehard Braves fan who perused the sports pages like the stock pages.
 
“My father adored the Braves,” said Scott III. “He and his sister, Alice Lupton (widow of former Coca-Cola bottler and philanthropist Jack Lupton), called each other every night and talked through the game.”
 
This year’s Braves, despite gloomy preseason forecasts after so many of last year’s players were traded, have been inspiring with some enthusiastic play that Mr. Probasco no doubt would have admired. As a result, they have managed to stay close to .500.
 
Mr. Probasco – who was also known for his civic volunteer work and longtime membership with First Presbyterian Church -- got a glimpse of their effort during the early season. That included on April 17, when they hung on for an exciting 8-7 win at Toronto. Mr. Probasco watched that game on television from his Lookout Mountain residence, his oldest son said, but died suddenly a few hours later.
 
Wednesday night’s game when the ceremonial first pitch was thrown out in his honor would have also made Mr. Probasco proud, as the Braves came back twice to win, 5-2, in front of a crowd that also included a few Red Sox fans.
 
When he threw out the opening pitch, Scott III was wearing a red and gray golf shirt representing his father’s beloved Baylor School. He jokingly admitted that he initially thought about wearing a white shirt, bow tie and sport coat and carrying a cigar like his father used to do, but decided against it.
 
Also on hand for the occasion were brother Ben and Scott III’s son, Walker.
 
The baseball he threw was autographed by Braves relief pitcher Dana Eveland, who was filling in as the ceremonial catcher. Mr. Probasco, who is involved in several investment projects, went up to the SunTrust box at the stadium to watch the game and actually gave the ball away to a youngster also in the box.
 
It was a memory-filled night, Mr. Probasco III said, especially so close to Father’s Day.
 
“This is our first Father’s Day without Dad,” said the younger Mr. Probasco. “It was really a cool thing to do to honor Dad.”
 
Jcshearer2@comcast.net