Mattress Mack Explains Why He Didn't Throw Out Astros First Pitch vs. Twins

It appears a conflict with an MLB sponsorship kept the Houston furniture icon from throwing out the first pitch in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Houston Astros superfan Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale is known for his Houston-based Gallery Furniture, his advertising campaigns and his large on bets on Houston-based teams to win championships. 

Well, on Saturday night before Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Minnesota Twins, McIngvale was going to throw out the first pitch. In fact, last year he threw out the first pitch before Game 6 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

It didn't happen. He didn't throw out the first pitch. In a post on Twitter, he explained what happened. And it had nothing to do with a scheduling conflict. 

It had to do with a Major League Baseball sponsorship.

First, he talked about being asked to throw out the pitch. 

"(The Astros) called two days ago saying, 'You want to throw out the first pitch at Minute Maid Park?'" he said. "I said 'Well of course (it would be ) quite an honor.' I threw out the fisrt pitch for Game 6 last year against the Phillies. Even better, yesterday Reggie Jackson, who's a consultant to the Astros and Mr. October, a great friend of mine called me and said I'm going to need to get there early and warm up so I wouldn't bounce the ball and embarrass myself, and I said, 'Good idea, Reggie.'"

But, on Saturday, the Astros called and took back the invitation.

"I got a call from the Astros a couple of minutes ago saying that Mattress Firm is a national sponsor of Major League Baseball, which is fine good for them, and they said that they weren't going to let me throw out the first pitch," he said.

This is the first time McIngvale has been kept from doing something with a local even with Mattress Firm sponsorship. Last year he was to be a judge in a competition at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, but that invitation was taken back, too. 

He had a message for Mattress Firm at the end of the video.

"My message to Mattress Firm is there's plenty of business out there for all of us," he said. "What we need to do is promote better sleep not snipe at our competitors. I'm sure that my endless advertising has sold lots of mattresses for Mattress Firm and all I gotta say is let's all be better than that and Go 'Stros."