Kyle Davies is a nice guy

Mellinger's blog "Ball Hype" has this story from a fan:

A few days after we ran the story about Davies, an e-mail popped in from a proud father. He told this story of a baseball skills clinic put on this past summer with some Royals players serving as instructors.

Apparently they picked a bad day for baseball instruction because the rain wouldn’t stop, all morning, so there wasn’t much to do but ask questions and get an autograph or two. Around the time everyone was packing up to leave, a boy walked up to Kyle and asked if he’d throw him a ball just one time so he could tell his friends he played catch with a big leaguer. Kyle smiled.

"You want to play catch? Let’s go."

So Kyle grabbed a glove and played catch with this kid for about 20 minutes, while everyone else was leaving.

I like that stuff. I don't much care if he does construction in the offseason (as long as he doesn't get injured), but this kind of thing impresses me. Famous people can really make people happy by doing some little things. By taking 20 minutes out of his day to play catch with this kid, he made the kid's year and gave him something he'll always remember. I think a lot of professional athletes just don't care about that. Apparently Kyle Davies does. I like him.

10 months ago NYRoyal 16 comments 0 recs |

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Totally Agree.

On the other hand, we have Charles Barkley, “I am not a role model”.

I may not be much, but I've got great intangibles.

by kabrink on Dec 29, 2008 8:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

charles barkley gets a bad rap

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Dec 29, 2008 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Davies > Barkley

I think it’s awesome that Davies has done that kind of thing. I think back to when I was a freshman in HS and my dad took me to one of my first Royal games (moved when I was in 8th to KC area). It was awesome and afterward we tried to get autographs. I got a few and ever since I got to the lot after the games to get auto’s. Now that I’m out of college I like to see which players take time to do that sort of thing. I’ve played against some pro teams in my days including a few in Mexico. The atmosphere is crazy and after the game there are hundreds of kids there all asking for an autograph. We all took time to sign for every single one of them and it took about 2 hours but it was awesome to watch their reactions. It’s something those kids will remember forever while it only was two hours of my time. How selfish can we be?

Don't forget to send your broken maples to the US Forest Service.

by 306008 on Dec 29, 2008 10:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree that this is a great thing for a player to do

I also understand that players don’t have to do this. However, you can’t treat the fans like crap and later complain that they don’t love you. It is marvelous when some players do this.

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Dec 29, 2008 1:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

+1

You’re right, being nice to fans isn’t technically part of the job, but it’s great to see athletes who embrace it as a regular duty anyway.

WTF, self?

by minda33 on Dec 29, 2008 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have a lot of favorite players

who are my favorites NOT because they’re the most talented, but because they do stuff like this for kids. When I was younger, a particular player was very very rude to me when all I wanted was an autograph, and it almost soured me on baseball for at least the rest of that season. Luckily, a much more friendly player came outside right after that, one who took the time to chit-chat and sign stuff for everybody, and all was well.

Ryan Shealy is my biggest semi-irrational favorite player because he is someone who always – ALWAYS – takes time to sign stuff for kids, and I can see in the kids’ faces that they’ll remember forever how nice Mr. Shealy was to them. It’s really sweet.

And as for Davies…I helped out with a meet-the-players type of event that Davies was a part of. There weren’t a whole lot of people there throughout the event, and he was apparently quite hung over, but he was an absolute sweetheart to all the kids who did come out to see him and get his autograph. Anyone who can be that nice when 1) he’s hung over, and 2) it’s like 9 in the morning is golden in my book.

WTF, self?

by minda33 on Dec 29, 2008 1:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

he's a playa

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Dec 29, 2008 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

not to be confused with a playa lake

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Dec 29, 2008 2:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

thank you for making me google that

I love geography

by royalsreview on Dec 29, 2008 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I love geology

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Dec 29, 2008 2:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OMG, a crop circle!!

I swear I see the virgin mary too

I may not be much, but I've got great intangibles.

by kabrink on Dec 29, 2008 11:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I Love People

Seeing Jesus and Mary on fuel tanks and bagels. How do they know what they looked like? Paintings by European guys in the Middle Ages?

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Dec 30, 2008 9:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and 9 am is like 4 am in baseball player time

by royalsreview on Dec 29, 2008 2:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, that Davies can be nice at 9 am while hungover

…means he gets +100 points in my book. I am significantly less nice when both awake and hungover at 9 am. This holds significant implications for my future career, but I am hoping that afternoon and evening Sunday worship services become more trendy in the next two years.

But seriously, go Davies. It is also nice to hear that about Shealy as well.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 29, 2008 6:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now, If They

Can just play ball……………

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Dec 30, 2008 9:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The things pro athletes do for kids really do matter

I played club soccer all the way up to high school, and at one of my games when I was in elementary school, Kevin Koetters from the KC Wizards and Attack showed up to watch because he knew our coach, and he stuck around to talk to us and sign autographs, and I had his autograph on my bulletin board for months. Just another example of a non-superstar athlete going out of his way to make the day for a bunch of kids.

by DarthYoshi on Dec 29, 2008 6:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs