Members of the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles were presented with a special opportunity Sunday.
The American League East ballclubs took part in this year’s Major League Baseball Little League Classic, an event that’s been held annually in Williamsport, Pa., since 2017. It was a full-day affair for the Sox and the O’s, who spent hours hanging out with some of the world’s best youth baseball players before playing a game at Bowman Field.
It surely must have been a nostalgic day for players on both sides, as they once were youngsters with dreams of playing in the big leagues. Xander Bogaerts has been there and done that at baseball’s highest level, but he’ll never forget his Little League days.
“As I told the kids here, cherish the memories,” Bogaerts told reporters, per MLB.com. “When you grow up, you’ll be older but those memories you have as a kid last forever.”
Boston’s All-Star shortstop also was the recipient of some impactful words.
“I was going through a rough, rough period, but a lot of kids was coming up to me and being like, ‘You’re my favorite player,'” Bogaert told reporters, per The Boston Globe. “I was like, man, I know I’m playing bad, but hearing something like that from the kids, it makes you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished so far and you’ve just got to continue doing it so you don’t disappoint them. It was very meaningful. It was great.”
The Red Sox ultimately suffered a 5-3 loss Sunday night, but Bogaerts’ remarks offer a reminder that the trip to Williamsport still was a positive and beneficial one for Boston.
