Kids are pretty cool sometimes. A little league baseball player’s response to getting hit in the head with a ball when up to bat is going viral for a heartwarming reason.
Spectators at the Little League World Series Southwest Regional Championship witnessed the warm display of sportsmanship on Tuesday in Waco, Texas between Texas East Little League pitcher Kaiden Shelton and Oklahoma National Little League batter Isaiah Jarvis.
At the game, Shelton pitched the ball which hit the ear cover on Jarvis’ helmet and sent it flying off his head. Seconds later, Jarvis fell to the ground cradling his head. Coaches rushed over to help Jarvis. A minute later, Jarvis was on first base. But Shelton was unable to pitch, he was crying and hung his head on the pitcher’s mound.
You can watch the moment, and what happened next in the clip below:
“Hey, you’re doing great. Let’s go.”
A batter rose from being hit in the head to console the upset pitcher in a touching gesture at a Little League regional tournament game in Waco, Texas. pic.twitter.com/AiKCy7KbpY
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 10, 2022
If you have trouble viewing the Twitter clip above, try the reddit version below:
Seeing that Shelton was upset, Jarvis walked over and gave the pitcher a hug. Jarvis can be overheard telling the pitcher “Hey, you’re doing just great. Let’s go.” The couches and other players soon join them to make sure the pair is okay.
Seeing the touching moment, the crowd at the under-12s game gave a standing ovation.
Since the game, both players have appeared on Good Morning America and other news channels to explain what happened.
“I thought he was really hurt,” Shelton told Good Morning America. He admits he initially thought Jarvis was coming over to him to “throw a punch.”
“He hugged me and it made me feel a lot better about myself at that moment,” Shelton said. He added that Jarvis told him to “take deep breaths.”
“We’re all brothers,” Jarvis told Good Morning America. He added that Shelton and him are “pretty good friends” and that “baseball is just a game.”
“We’re all brothers. Baseball is just a game.”
This little leaguer gave us all a lesson in sportsmanship when he went out of his way to console a pitcher who hit him in the head. https://t.co/2xZHicUPyH pic.twitter.com/sSJVhFIi54
— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 10, 2022
People on social media are also applauding. One redditor commented, “People can be so beautiful and empathetic when they choose to be.”
“I bet this kid’s parents are super proud. I sure would be,” said another.
“Two kids that actually care about other people. Very impressive these days,” exclaimed another.
Another credited the sport itself for helping, writing, “Youth team sports are essential to building people that can put things aside and move on.”
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