He covers his famed Mandinka warrior haircut these days, and his 74-year-old neck supports only single gold chain, but Mr. T was nonetheless unmistakable on Friday at Wrigley Field, where he tossed out the first pitch and handled seventh-inning stretch duties for his hometown crowd.
‘… for it’s one, two, three strikes you out at the old ballgame!’ Mr. T sang to the Cubs faithful from Harry Caray’s former office during Chicago’s 3-0 win over the rival St. Louis Cardinals. ‘Let’s go Cubs!… I pity the fool!’
Fans were delighted to see the 1980s Hollywood icon, WWE superstar and one-time bodyguard of Muhammad Ali. In particular, they appreciated the way Mr. T incorporated his most famous line from Rocky III.
‘Love how he managed to get in a ‘I pity the fool’ but I really wanted Mr T to drop a ‘sucka’ in there as well,’ one fan wrote on X.
Wearing a personalized ‘Mr. T’ Cubs replica uniform, the left-handed former A-Team star’s ceremonial first pitch sailed well outside the strike zone, but he still got a standing ovation from those in attendance at Friday’s matinee game.
But the bigger reaction came online, where many fans were surprised see Mr. T ‘finally looking his age.’
‘He looked weirdly young for the longest time,’ one fan remarked. ‘But he’s still got that spirit and attitude! Hell yeah.’
Fans liked Mr. T incorporating his famous Rocky III line into his seventh-inning performance
Wearing a personalized ‘Mr. T’ Cubs replica uniform, the left-handed former A-Team star’s ceremonial first pitch sailed well outside the strike zone, but he still got a standing ovation
Others were surprised to see the larger-than-life Mr.T looking up at 6ft 5in Cubs public address announcer Jeremiah Paprocki.
‘When did Mr. T get that small?’ one fan asked.
Online records put Mr. T at 5ft 10in.
Paprocki drew a few comments online after introducing Mr. T initially as a wrestler before adding his acting credits.
Mr. T performed several times in the 1980s and early 1990s with what was then known as the WWF, but never worked extensively in the ring. Rather, he’s far more known for his role as Clubber Lang in Rocky III, B. A. Baracus in the A-Team, and his own cartoon series.
‘Why is former professional wrestler listed first like that’s what he is most known for?’ one fan asked on X. ‘He had like 2 matches in WWF?’
Before his Hollywood days, Mr. T (left) is seen working security for boxer Leon Spinks (right)
Mr. T is seen in 1985 alongside Muhammad Ali, whom he used to protect as a bodyguard
Born Laurence Tureaud, Mr. T was the youngest son in a family of a dozen children. He later shortened his name after his father left the family before adding ‘Mr.’ as an adult to command respect.
Although he got a football scholarship to Prairie View A&M University, where he majored in mathematics, Mr. T left school to join the Army and later served with the military police.
It was that experience that helped him become a Chicago bouncer and later a bodyguard for celebrities like Steve McQueen and Michael Jackson, as well as boxers such as Joe Frazier, Leon Spinks and Ali.
‘A lot of the stuff I do in terms of PR, I learned it from Muhammad Ali,’ he told TMZ. ‘He told me you gotta be different but good.’
Mr. T was later discovered by Rocky creator and star Sylvester Stallone in a ‘World’s Toughest Bouncer’ competition, and created the Clubber Lang character with the former bodyguard in mind.
