Brewers manager Murphy, Braves manager Weiss glad to partake in MLB Little League Classic
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Ask Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy who was on his team a few years back, and he may need a refresher when you ask. He'll recognize the faces, but not necessarily names.
But ask him about playing Little League Baseball when he was a kid and he quickly remembers everything.
"I don't remember players from four years ago names, I can remember their faces, but you have to refresh me. But I can remember everything about that year," Murphy said of when he as an 8-year-old kid playing in New York in Syracuse in in the late 1960s. "I can remember everything about that year. It's indelible in my mind what happened, where it was. The first level was called just T-shirts. They just gave you a T-shirt and you played in maybe your jeans or whatever you had. Didn't even have baseball pants…. I'll never forget it."
That's the lasting mark of youth baseball. It leaves an impression, and Murphy, who's been with the Brewers as a coach from 2016-23 before taking over as manager, is an example of that.
Major Leaguers play at big stadiums day in and day out, but a trip to Williamsport for a 3,000-seat venue at Bowman Field is something that's more than unique.
"I think it's one of the better things they do. As far as specialty games go, I think being around the kids and Little Leaguers, that's as pure as baseball gets when playing in Little League," Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said. "It'd have been cool for me to see some Major Leaguers when I was in Little League. I think it's a cool event, guys had a really good time over there at the field. Major League Baseball has done a really good job with these kinds of things."
Both the Brewers and Braves were at the Little League World Series complex in South Williamsport in the early afternoon before making the trek to Bowman Field for the ninth-annual MLB Little League Classic.
Given it was the Braves and Brewers first time participating at said event, both were glad and happy to be in town.
"I think it's unique for everybody. It's unique for Little Leaguers and the big leaguers. Most of the guys in our club have never played this game, so it's right from the time you get off the airplane, there's people greeting you there," Weiss said. "I was shocked at how many people were at the field (at Volunteer and Lamade) when we got there. A lot of people.
While there's an MLB game the players were competing in at night, for the day, they reverted back to their inner 12-year-old selves at the Little League World Series complex. From cheering on Little Leaguers at both Volunteer and Lamade Stadium to going down the hill outside fo the Lamade Stadium fence, the big leaguers got the most out of the experience in Williamsport.
"Our players were excited about it," Weiss said. A few went down the hill on cardboard, that was interesting. So yeah, it's just a unique experience for everybody on both sides of this thing."
"It's such a great event. It's a great event with youth sports. We were talking on the way over about there's different places in our country (where name sticks out)," Murphy said. "I was part of college baseball for 25 years. You think of Omaha, you think of Williamsport, there's Farmington, there's Jupiter in the fall. These are towns that are associated with great baseball events. Williamsport might be the crown jewel of it all."
The atmosphere of the entire day of the MLB Little League Classic is unique. From players arriving and being greeted by members of the Little League World Series teams to interacting at the Little League complex to partaking in a big league game at one of the oldest ballparks in America with roughly 3,000 in attendance.
It's something everyone involved enjoys, from the 12-year-olds to the big leaguers and managers.
"I'd have to say yes so far (it's been great). It's an opportunity for our players to kind of stand up and be an example and stand up and dig deep a little bit and get perspective of what it's really all about," Murphy said. "That makes me enjoy it knowing they're stepping out of themselves and I think that's healthy, whether it's midseason, early season. It's a healthy situation."
The Braves are at the end of a road trip, and Weiss was happy to see the team end that trip in Williamsport, the pinnacle of youth baseball.
"It's different. I don't think I've ever been in four cities in seven days," Weiss said. "That part of it has been pretty unique. Like I said, we're at the tail-end of it and it's a pretty good way to wrap it up playing this game here."
It's a unique event that Williamsport welcomes every August.