Dennis Gates throws out first pitch at Busch Stadium, lays out vision for Missouri men’s basketball

Dennis Gates was front and center at Busch Stadium on Thursday for Mizzou Night at the St. Louis Cardinals game.

The new men’s basketball coach threw out the first pitch, and then had a chance to lay out his vision for the program.

“Let’s do it together, it takes team work,” he said on Bally Sports Midwest. “It takes an environment that allows other teams a disadvantage, and I truly believe our fan base, our enthusiasm, our excitement is there. We’re going to build our program on 8 core values: Friendship, love, accountability, trust, discipline, unselfishness, enthusiasm and toughness, and I just hope our fan base continues to adopt those principles, as well as our program, and you’ll see an unbelievable environment with some results.”

#Mizzou men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates is here to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. He’s wearing No. 2. He’s throwing from the stretch, from the rubber, rocks back, and throws a pitch low, maybe off the edge.

Now he’s getting Packy Naughton’s autograph.

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) August 4, 2022

Coach Dennis Gates is in the house for @Mizzou Night at Busch 🐯

His message for Mizzou fans: “Let’s do it together. … I truly believe our fan base, our enthusiasm, our excitement is there. … You’ll see an unbelievable environment with some results.” @MizzouHoops pic.twitter.com/y7neA2nKYb

— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) August 4, 2022

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.