Tim Tebow persuades bat boy with Down syndrome to switch teams in 'extraordinary' moment
Say what you will about Tim Tebow’s athletic pursuits, but there’s a reason the man has such a magnetic personality.
He’s humble, thick-skinned and unafraid to wear his faith on his sleeve. That’s to say nothing of the countless hours of charity and good works he’s helped accomplish through the Tim Tebow Foundation.
But perhaps one of Tebow’s most endearing traits is his genuine soft spot for people with special needs.
Case in point: When Tebow’s Binghamton Rumble Ponies traveled to Arm & Hammer Park in New Jersey to face the Trenton Thunder, he made an incredible gesture for Thunder bat boy and local fan favorite Tommy Smith, who has Down syndrome.
Tebow made the unprecedented move of trying to persuade the opposing team’s bat boy to take his talents to the other dugout.
According to Tebow, Smith waffled on the decision, seemingly stuck between Tebow’s magnetism and his duties to the Thunder.
“He’s awesome,” Tebow said, per The Trentonian. “I was trying to get him to come over and hang with us and be our bat boy, and for some reason he wouldn’t do it. … He even said yes and then after a minute he was like, ‘No, I gotta stay.’”
In the end, however, Tebow’s personality won out. Smith eventually donned a Rumble Ponies jersey, while keeping his Thunder helmet on, and joined the “enemy” for a day.
He even stood next to Tebow during the national anthem prior to the game.
Great shot by @kj_franko of Tim Tebow and @TrentonThunder bat boy Tommy Smith, who moved to Binghamton's dugout tonight at Tebow's special request. #Yankees #Mets pic.twitter.com/DjUv6PGDJd
— Greg Johnson (@gregp_j) June 20, 2018
After the game, which the Thunder won 7-3, Trenton coach Jay Bell joked about trading Smith away.
“It’s one of the things I love about minor league baseball,” Bell told The Trentonian. “Tim is really good with Tommy and people who are around the baseball field like Tommy. He is extraordinary. He’s done a really good job. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic stories about him.”
“It’s pretty cool. He’s wanted to go to Binghamton. I may draw up some papers tomorrow, so we’ll see,” Bell added.
Tebow might want to take Bell up on his offer. In the one game Smith was the bat boy for the Rumble Ponies, Tebow went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
Smith, 27, made an even bigger impression on Tebow.
“He’s really cool,” Tebow told The Trentonian. “I love it every time he gets a bat and he starts putting his hands up and getting crowd hype. It brings me a lot of joy to watch that and also watch the crowd react to him.”
For Tebow, it’s just another day of making magic in a busy schedule. Despite his hectic schedule, he also stressed that he can and will always find time for those in need.
“Thankfully I have a really great team, but you can’t train all day, right?” Tebow said. “You’ve got to have a little balance. I stay involved in [the Tim Tebow Foundation] heavily and working on that and everything that we’re doing at the foundation and everything else we’ve got going on.”
Tebow and the Rumble Ponies will be staying in Trenton as their series wraps up on Thursday.
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