ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Longtime Texas Rangers fan Robbie Parker was trying to calm his nerves before throwing the ceremonial first pitch in honor of a daughter who died in the Newtown school shooting.

So he turned to former star catcher Ivan Rodriguez and jokingly asked if they were the only two people around, even though they were on the field at sold-out Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Friday. It sure seemed that way when the pair shared a long, emotional embrace after Parker met his goal of getting the pitch all the way to the 14-time All-Star's glove.

Parker's 6-year-old daughter, Emilie, was among the 26 people who died in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December.