GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – The Greeneville Flyboys are hosting Henry Rowengartner Night at Pioneer Park on June 24, 2022. Thomas Ian Nicholas, the actor who played Henry Rowengartner in the 1993 film, “Rookie of the Year,” will be in attendance to meet-and-greet with fans and throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Growing up, the actor was focused more on the entertainment side of things, rather than sports. When the time came to play Henry Rowengarter, Nicholas went to a baseball field every day for weeks preparing for the role. Despite having to learn all the mechanics of a baseball pitcher and shooting in front of large crowds, the California native struggled the most with the weather. “We were shooting at Wrigley Field in Chicago in October. I was wearing a big down jacket and still freezing. When we were ready to shoot, it was supposed to be summertime, so coats had to come off. That was probably more challenging than being in front of people,” Nicholas explained.
When asked about some of his most memorable moments while shooting the film, “Rookie of the Year,” Nicholas recalled the first time his character took the mound. “It was a full stadium when Henry first walked to the mound because we were shooting in between an MLB doubleheader in September of ‘92. That was my first time on Wrigley Field. We hadn’t even really started the movie yet. It’s still a very memorable moment for me,” said Nicholas.
Despite the major success of the movie, Nicholas never anticipated the film having the “shelf life” that it does today. “I knew that people enjoyed what we had created, but I certainly never imagined that as we approach the 30th anniversary, it would have been handed down generation to generation,” Nicholas said. “It’s pretty cool and it’s something fun that I was able to show my own kids.”
Nicholas concluded by touching on what he hopes people take away from the film. “I think the most important thing that Henry learns is to be true to ourselves. It doesn’t matter what we do. It matters who we are. That’s what’s important.”
The gates open at 6 p.m., and Thomas will be signing autographs and taking pictures before his first pitch at 6:40 p.m. Tickets for Henry Rowengartner Night can be purchased by going to flyboysbaseball.com, calling the Greeneville Flyboys sales office at (423) 609-7400 or by visiting the box office window. The box office window is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
