Soccer Players, Super Bowl MVP to Throw First Pitches at Dodger Game

Two undisclosed members of the U.S. World Cup team will throw ceremonial first pitches and Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcom Smith will throw an honorary first pitch before tonight's Los Angeles Dodgers-San Diego Padres game at Dodger Stadium.

Smith, a linebacker who played at Taft High and USC, returned an interception for a touchdown and recovered a fumble in the Seattle Seahawks 43- 8 victory over the Denver Broncos Feb. 2.

Fred Gomez, a U.S. Army private first class during World War II, will be honored as the Veteran of the Game. Gomez was initially trained as a machine gunner and went on to become a medic who provided life-saving medical care to wounded soldiers.

Gomez served with the 164th Regiment, deploying to New Caledonia, Fiji and the Philippines. He received two Purple Heart Medals, the Philippine Liberation Medal and a Bronze Star.

The Bakersfield resident was a security guard at Dodger Stadium from 1963-65.

A super hero-themed fireworks show will immediately follow the game but could be cancelled if the game lasts too long.

Dennis Powell, who pitched for the Dodgers in 1985 and 1986, will sign autographs in the right field pavilion plaza from 5-7 p.m., the same time as Al "The Bull" Ferrara, a Dodger outfielder for five seasons in the 1960s, will be signing autographs in the left field pavilion plaza.

Ferrara and Powell will also sign autographs in the Stadium Club from approximately 7:30-8 p.m.

The crowd will include 250 youths from Bell Gardens Elementary School and D'Veal Family and Youth Services, a Pasadena-based behavioral health care services agency, who will be attending through Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball, which provides a reserve level-ticket, voucher for a Dodger Dog and beverage, a Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball T-shirt, and transportation to the game for groups of low- income, inner-city youths.

All auto gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and all stadium gates at 5 p.m. for the 7:10 p.m. game.