April 26, 2002

It was a momentous occasion for Peter Slavin, MD, chairman and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. It wasn't a patient care setting or a meeting of hospital physicians and executives. Instead it was an envied position on the pitcher's mound at Fenway Park.

Slavin was invited to throw the first pitch at the Red Sox vs. Yankees game April 12 in front of a packed stadium of more than 32,000 fans — more than 500 were MGHers who had bought tickets through the MGH PERKS program. Slavin proudly pitched a strike.

"Standing on the mound at Fenway was a childhood dream come true," says Slavin. "However, home plate seemed more like a mile away from the mound rather than 60 feet, 6 inches. I am not sure how the ball reached Jason Varitek at the plate."

Slavin with Red Sox player Varitek