Hawk Tuah Girl's viral fame leads to Mets' first pitch, sparks controversy and a crushing loss

The famous “Hawk Tuah Girl” made a special appearance on Thursday as a guest of the New York Mets, where she threw the ceremonial first pitch before the game.

The “Hawk Tuah Girl” is Haliey Welch, a Tennessee native who rose to internet fame with her now-iconic line. When asked “what move” in the bedroom makes a guy “go crazy,” she replied during Country Music Awards weekend in Nashville, “Awh, you gotta Hawk… Tuah, spit on that thing – you know?”

The clip quickly went viral on TikTok and spread across other platforms. Welch, 21, initially kept a low profile, but now she's enjoying the attention. Last month, she reportedly earned $30,000 for an appearance at a South Florida pool club, where she appropriately wore a Tua Tagovailoa shirsey.

On Thursday, Welch took to the mound and tested her athletic skills before the Mets' game against the Oakland Athletics. Her appearance drew mixed reactions online.

One X user criticized the Mets' decision to have Welch throw out the first pitch at a summer “Camp Day” game where most of the fans were children. They questioned the team's decision, saying, “Seriously, what were they thinking? Be better than that.” Another user called the decision to give her a platform “terrible,” while others called it “pathetic” and “disgusting.”

However, some defended Welch, noting that she did not choose to go viral and has donated to charity since becoming famous on social media.

The Mets ultimately blew a 5-0 lead and lost 7-6 to the A's in the longest nine-inning game of the pitch-timer era (3 hours, 45 minutes). Some fans now believe Welch may have cursed the 2024 Mets, but that remains to be seen. Regardless, Thursday's game is considered one of the team's worst losses this season.