Jazz Chisholm Jr. and a day to remember: No shoes and doubles!
In an unusual morning encounter, the playing field witnessed a historic moment, courtesy of Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees team. In a 4-2 victory against the Baltimore Orioles, Chisholm Jr. starred in a play that will be etched in the memory of the fans: he scored from second base… without shoes!
The incident occurred while the player was trying to reach the plate, losing both shoes in the process. “I was so sweaty. My socks were wet. Everything slipped,” explained Chisholm Jr.
This peculiar moment reminded me of “Shoeless Joe”, a nickname that evokes a baseball legend. Chisholm, laughing, responded to the comparison: “Is that how Shoeless Joe got his name? Did he run out of shoes?”.
The Yankees captain, Aaron Judge, was also surprised: “I saw many firsts. A game at 11:30 and a guy who loses both shoes. I’ve seen a shoe come off, but not both like that. That was incredible.”Jazz Chisholm Jr. lost his left shoe between third and home, and then his right one after falling after colliding with the Orioles’ catcher, Maverick Handley, in the second inning on Sunday.Chisholm Jr. has shown great performance since his return from an injury, batting .350 with 11 RBIs. “That’s what I live for. That’s how I grew up playing baseball in high school, in little league. I don’t feel there’s a need to change,” he stated.
The game was 2-0 against the Yankees when Chisholm hit a double, driving in a run. Then, with a single by DJ LeMahieu, Chisholm tried to score, unleashing the memorable moment.
After scoring, Chisholm Jr. asked rookie Jasson Domínguez to tie the laces of his new shoes.
The game remained close until the eighth inning, when Chisholm hit a two-run double, putting the Yankees ahead. At that moment, the player demonstrated his determination and skill, despite the loss of his shoes.
The Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, commented: “He had dirt all over his face when I went to get him. It looked like he had glitter on his face. We were all screaming.”“I saw a lot of firsts,” said Yankees captain Aaron Judge. “An 11:30 game and a guy losing both shoes. I’ve seen a shoe come off, but not both like that. That was incredible.”The encounter continued with emotions running high. Ben Rice connected with a single, followed by a hit from Giancarlo Stanton, which led Paul Goldschmidt to run as a pinch runner. Chisholm, with a powerful swing, sent the ball 384 feet, driving in the run that sealed the victory.
After the game, Stanton told Chisholm: “Go out and play like that. You don’t need them.”
