Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman’s Childhood Batting Practice With His Dad Led to Dream Baseball Moment
As Game 1 of what is set to be a storybook World Series reached the end of the bottom of the tenth inning, Freddie Freeman ensured the game would go down in history when he hit a walk-off grand slam to lead the Dodgers to a 6-3 victory. In the 12th edition of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers World Series matchup, and the first since the turn of the century, Freeman recorded what might go down as the greatest play of all in the fabled rivalry.
The Yankees and Dodgers went into extra innings with the game tied 2-2. The Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th inning, and the Dodgers looked to take the win in the bottom of the inning. The Dodgers got two runners on base before Shohei Ohtani hit the second out of the inning.
Grab this awesome t-shirt to relive the epic World Series Walk-Off Grand Slam from Freddie Freeman
The Yankees intentionally walked Mookie Betts, choosing to pitch to Freeman instead. Freeman capitalized, hitting a grand slam to take Game 1 of the World Series and create one of the most iconic plays in recent years.
Shortly after his seminal moment, Freeman ran over to find his dad, Fred, in the stands behind the net.
“I was so excited,” Fred told Darren M. Haynes after the game, via Sports Central LA. “I just couldn’t believe that was my son. So Proud. So excited. I’m going to watch all the replays all night.”
“Didn’t talk anything, he just head-butted me and screamed. He was so excited, and I don’t think we had any words. It was just yelling at each other,” Fred said.
Freeman called the walk-off grand slam his dad’s moment, crediting his dad for shaping him into the person and player he is today.
“He’s been throwing me batting practice since I can remember. My swing is because of him. My approach is because of him. I am who I am because of him,” Freeman said of his dad after the game. “That’s mostly his moment because if he didn’t throw me batting practice — if he didn’t love the game of baseball, I wouldn’t be here playing this game. So that’s Fred Freeman’s moment right there.”
Fred maintains that his son Freddie is a better father than he ever was. Fred called Freddie an ‘amazing’ father, especially after a tough season in which he helped his family when his son, Max, battled a life-threatening case of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
“We almost lost Max and where he was, and where he is today, we’re so thankful as a family,” Fred said.
On Friday, Fred and Max were both in attendance for Freddie’s historic moment on the World Series stage which sent Dodger Stadium erupting in celebration. After the game though, Freddie returned to normal “dad” mode, getting his kids ready for bed as if it were any other night.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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