Force Friday: Brad Meltzer brings Star Wars to baseball

Author Brad Meltzer made the most of Force Friday when he had the chance to throw out the first pitch at the Miami Marlins/New York Mets game on Friday night. But the lifelong Star Wars fan may have just outted himself as a Sith lord.

The thriller novelist, History Channel host, and children’s book author threw the ball to mascot Billy the Marlin, then threw down with a lightsaber duel. The attack appears to have been the unprovoked result of Meltzer letting his anger flow through him.

The President’s Shadow novelist was wearing a black t-shirt with the phrase Darth Meltzer on the back, and Billy the Marlin sported the brown robes of a Jedi knight, so it’s apparently part of a feud that goes back a long time ago.

Meltzer also used Force-lightning on his foe — a tell-tale sign of the Dark Side.

In real life, the laser swords were just light-up plastic, but Meltzer says a friend added a few visual effects for the version you see above and doctored the Associated Press photo at the top).

That’s how Force Friday, the day a tidal wave of Star Wars: The Force Awakens merchandise was unleashed on the world, turned into Sith Sunday.

“My older son was terrified I was going to go full costume,” Meltzer tells EW. “Nothing embarrasses like a parent. Instead, I surprised him with this. He was in shock. Later, I asked him what he thought when I was having a lightsaber battle on the mound and he said: ‘That’s my dad…'”

Watch that right hand, kid. You saw what Luke Skywalker’s father did to him.

For more Star Wars news, follow @Breznican

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