MLB players are hanging out at the Little League World Series and it's incredibly cool
Do this again next year!
The Cardinals and Pirates are playing each other on Sunday, but it won’t be an ordinary game — they’re both playing in Williamsport, Pennsylvania as part of the Little League Classic. And it’s fitting that both teams were chosen, because players Randal Grichuk, Lance Lynn, and Andrew McCutchen and managers Mike Matheny and Clint Hurdle participated in the Little League World Series many years ago.
It’s a really cool collaboration between Little League and MLB that means so much to the kids who are in the Little League World Series. Some kids got to ride buses with the pros, some got to take selfies, some got awesome autographs, and at least one kid got to wear a World Series ring:
Bus rides with the @Cardinals! #MLBLittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/0ExXWKW91z
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2017
His name is Trevor and first....we're gonna take a selfie. pic.twitter.com/fsXdEJj1Q4
— Pirates (@Pirates) August 20, 2017
The Dominican team with Carlos Martinez #MLBLittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/WVlxnUjeS3
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 20, 2017
Carlos Martinez meets the #LLWS team from the Dominican Republic and it's one of the coolest scenes of the day. @MLB @LasMayores @playball pic.twitter.com/PuTewOUMp1
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) August 20, 2017
On the bus with some of the little leaguers! #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/TRjzgGh3r4
— Josh Harrison (@jhay_da_man) August 20, 2017
Kolten Wong stops to sign upon the team's arrival at the LLWS complex. #stlcards pic.twitter.com/GU4pue0cLr
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) August 20, 2017
Sharing my #Bling with my man J.R.!! #PlayersWeekend pic.twitter.com/LUONmZD6wO
— George Kontos (@G_Kontos) August 20, 2017
They even bonded over music during the bus rides:
Next up on DJ Wong's song list on the fun bus: Despacito. @MLB @LasMayores @PlayBall #MLBLittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/LTWcPURIMV
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) August 20, 2017
The fun bus just went to another level. Australia getting its groove on. @MLB @LasMayores @PlayBall #MLBLittleLeagueClassic pic.twitter.com/fS0y3k9l8m
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) August 20, 2017
Here are McCutchen and Matheny watching a game, and probably reminiscing on their days in Little League:
Cutch taking it all in. This is ridiculously cool #LLWS pic.twitter.com/TAu9R500ut
— Cespedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 20, 2017
Mike Matheny, watching in Williamsport. #stlcards pic.twitter.com/uMBrFrIpb0
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) August 20, 2017
And here’s a few Little League players getting free snow cones thanks to Tommy Pham:
Tommy Pham ordered 200 snow cones for the kids. They're being passed out now. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/lvnfvQKHsh
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) August 20, 2017
One player named Christian summed it all up during an interview with ESPN:
“It's like a dream. I never thought we'd play in front of Andrew McCutchen ... it's really special.”
This was a great idea, and it’s clear that all the kids are excited to be surrounded by the pros like they’re older siblings. Hopefully, Little League and MLB do this again in years to come.