Image Credit:Tinseltown / Shutterstock Gene Simmons turned one ceremonial first-pitch appearance into four throws at Angel Stadium, and the Los Angeles Angels quickly found a joke sitting right in front of them. The KISS co-founder took the mound ahead of the Angels' Aug. 15 game against the Kansas City Royals, with Paul Stanley joining his longtime bandmate on the field for a night celebrating the 50th anniversary of KISS' historic 1976 Anaheim Stadium concert. Once Simmons stopped at four, the Angels' social media team supplied an explanation for why there would be no fifth. “He asked to throw a 5th pitch but we had to say no out of respect for Jayden Daniels,” the team joked, according to TMZ. The punchline referred to Daniels' escalating dispute with LSU after the school gave sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett No. 5, the same number Daniels wore while winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy. Four First Pitches Set Up the Angels' No. 5 Joke
Ceremonial first pitches usually involve one baseball and one trip to the mound. Simmons took a different approach, throwing four as cameras captured the KISS bassist repeatedly going through his delivery. The New York Post also highlighted the unusual sequence after Simmons and Stanley appeared at Angel Stadium. Images from the game showed both KISS members participating in the ceremonial first-pitch festivities. “He asked to throw a 5th pitch but we had to say no out of respect for Jayden Daniels,” the team wrote alongside a photo of Simmons. Why Jayden Daniels' No. 5 Became the Punchline The dispute began after LSU assigned No. 5 to Pickett, a sophomore cornerback who wore No. 3 during his freshman season. Daniels wore No. 5 during both of his seasons at LSU, including his Heisman-winning 2023 campaign. Daniels' representatives subsequently sent LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry a cease-and-desist letter concerning the university's use of the quarterback's name, image and likeness. Reuters reported that Daniels' family felt LSU's decision failed to respect the legacy of his Heisman-winning career. Daniels later said his primary focus remained Washington Commanders training camp and expressed hope that the dispute between his representatives and LSU could be resolved privately. Pickett, meanwhile, has made clear that No. 5 carries personal significance for him as well. He said he has worn the number since he was four years old and that LSU promised it to him during recruiting. New LSU coach Lane Kiffin said he believed that commitment should be honored. Former coach Brian Kelly also confirmed that Pickett had been promised the number, although Kelly said he previously declined to issue it because Daniels objected. Daniels' No. 5 Has Not Been Officially Retired The controversy has also created some confusion over whether Daniels' No. 5 is formally protected at LSU. Under LSU's policy, an athlete must have been out of college competition for at least five years before becoming eligible for jersey retirement. Daniels is therefore not yet eligible. His Heisman Trophy would satisfy the type of extraordinary achievement LSU considers when evaluating candidates, but eligibility does not guarantee that a jersey will eventually be retired. Reuters also reported that LSU has retired several players' jerseys, but Billy Cannon's No. 20 is the only number that cannot be issued to another player. KISS Returned to Anaheim for a 50th-Anniversary Celebration View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jim (@foxtrotjim)
Simmons and Stanley appeared at Angel Stadium to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the band's Aug. 20, 1976 concert at what was then known as Anaheim Stadium. More than 42,000 fans attended that performance, making it KISS' largest audience up to that point. The Angels planned KISS-themed entertainment around Saturday's game, including music, giveaways, live covers of the band's songs and a KISS-themed fireworks show. The anniversary celebration also comes just days before the Aug. 21 release of KISS Destroys Anaheim '76, which makes the historic concert officially available for the first time. The archival release was newly mixed from the original multitrack recordings made by producer Eddie Kramer and is being issued in multiple formats, including vinyl and CD.