Chris Rowley
As a guy who’s forgotten more batting orders than I care to admit, interviewing Chris Rowley was a revelation: West Point’s own who never thought he’d pitch in the bigs, standing under five decks of fans in Toronto, hearing a Canadian crowd give him a standing ovation. I kept asking, “How do you process being the first West Point grad on a major-league mound?” and he almost shrugged, “It’ll take a lifetime.” Then came that moment—look up at the lights, feel the weight, and throw a strike to Starling Marte. That shared gasp, that shared roar—that’s what makes a ballpark sacred.
Robby Incmikoski: Chris, I know your major league career ended in 2018, but to hear in 2025, “Chris Rowley, first player from West Point to throw a baseball in the big leagues”—what does that sound like to you?
Chris Rowley: I think I’m still processing it. West Point is 225 years of history, a foundational part of America—and baseball is America’s pastime. The two are so interwoven that it’s hard to wrap my head around. It’s not just about me. The outreach I’ve gotten, the doors it opened, and the way it impacted the West Point program—it’s bigger than I ever imagined.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m honored to be the first, but I’m more than happy to be the worst. I just wanted to open the floodgates.
Robby: Why do you think it takes a lifetime to process?
Chris: Because it’s not just a personal achievement—it’s a community moment. I’ve had people come up and say, “I remember exactly what I was doing the day you debuted.” That’s wild. West Point had never reached the mountaintop in baseball. So when I did, it was a stop-and-pause moment—not just for me or my family, but for the whole community.
Robby: What kind of torch is that for you to carry? You’re going to be remembered at West Point forever.
Chris: It’s a double-edged sword. It’s a tremendous honor, but there’s pressure too. I think about that line from Hamilton: “History has its eyes on you.” There are more eyes on me now than there were August 7, 2017.
There’s only one “first.” And carrying that comes with weight—but also pride. I’m proud to represent West Point and proud to be a part of its history.
Robby: So your MLB debut. You’re in Canada, not even the U.S.—that’s kind of ironic, right?
Chris: Yeah, funny enough. But I think what stuck with me most wasn’t the irony. It was this moment when I walked off the mound in Toronto—first West Point grad to pitch in the big leagues—and a Canadian crowd stood and gave me a standing ovation.
That moment wasn’t about borders. It was about shared values. That crowd didn’t see me as “the American Army guy.” They saw someone who worked hard, who represented something, and who earned that moment. That standing ovation—man, that hit me. I’ll never forget it.
Robby: What was that moment like on the mound?
Chris: Pete Walker, our pitching coach, gave me the best advice. He said, “When you get out there, look up. Look at every deck. Pretending like they’re not there isn’t gonna help.”
So I did. First time ever on a big-league mound, and I looked up at five decks towering above me. “Holy shit,” I thought. And then I threw my warm-up pitches. First pitch of the game to Starling Marte—sinker, a little pulled, but a strike. That was it. I was in the game.
Robby: It was a community moment. It was a baseball moment. It was an American moment.
Chris: That’s exactly it. And it happened on a field in Canada, in front of strangers who treated me like family. It reminded me of what’s so beautiful about this game.
You can’t fake that kind of welcome. You can’t script it. It just happens—between the lines, under the lights, with tens of thousands watching. That’s the magic of a big league ballpark. It’s not just sacred because of the game—it’s sacred because of what it holds for people.
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More from Chris Rowley
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.