University of Connecticut’s Kemba Walker gets to throw a ceremonial pitch at the Yankees Stadium
Kemba Walker was recently presented with an opportunity of a life time, when the National Collegiate Athletic Association champion threw a ceremonial first pitch at the Yankees Stadium, before the start of a game encounter between the New York Yankees and
the Baltimore Orioles. The two Major League Baseball teams faced off in their first encounter on Wednesday night, giving Walker a first-hand display of prowess on the field.
While spending most of his life in the Bronx, Walker never really had chance to set afoot in the historic stadium until Wednesday. The point guard on the team that won the University of Connecticut’s title was greeted amidst jeers and praise as he made his
way to the field to pitch his first delivery. The youngster was further humbled by the treatment he received from Yankees captain, Derek Jeter.
The iconic ball player walked over to Walker’s teammates to greet them.
"That was pretty amazing," Walker said. "He's one of the more famous guys in baseball, so for us to get a chance to shake his hand, and him acknowledging us winning the championship, is pretty amazing."
Surprisingly, many players from the New York followed the NCAA tournament keenly and were receptive to Walker and his teammates, as they shared stories and offered pointers. The NCAA championship’s most outstanding player and first Team All - American was
received respectfully. Even Curtis Granderson spent time with his teammates before the ball game on Wednesday.
"They all like sports and we had an amazing run," Walker said. "Everybody likes that, regardless if they play football, baseball or whatever. It was an amazing run, so for those guys to come up and acknowledge us and tell us how good a run we had, it's cool.
It's cool to hear from those guys."
The Yankees have been eager to contribute to the community. Acknowledging players like Kemba Walker builds confidence in young college and university players, around the country. It not only adds value to the athlete’s productivity, but also encourages the
culture of help and community development between celebrities across the country.
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