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Canada assistant coach Stephen Nantel was a big time fan decades ago watching Tony Perez play Major League Baseball throughout his career.
And Nantel was just as much a fan of his son, Eduardo, who played in the 1990s through 2001.
Needless to say, Nantel was excited to know that Eduardo Perez was broadcasting games this year at the Little League World Series. But the Canada assistant coach was likely just hoping he could maybe say hello or give him a wave while in South Williamsport.
What unfolded Tuesday prior to the game against Aruba in an elimination contest was well beyond anything Nantel would have imagined.
It was prior to the game where Nantel was able to meet and talk with Perez, who is a Sunday Night Baseball analyst.
"I was knocked over, it was unbelievable," Nantel said, thanking the media and others who helped set the meeting up. "I was completely surprised. It's the thrill of a lifetime not only to meet Eduardo, but also talk to Tony Perez on the phone with a video link."
Tony is Eduardo's father and is a Baseball Hall of Famer, being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 after a career which spanned 1974-1986 with the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
Eduardo played for the California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners in his MLB career from 1993-2006 with a stop with the Hanshin Tigers in 2001 of Nippon Professional Baseball Central League in Japan.
"I remember watching Tony play and loved him as a player, that was incredible," Nantel said. "I was so touched by that and Eduardo couldn't have been nicer. So thank you to all the people that set that up, I was blown away."