Savannah Bananas 'Red, White & Blue' Home Run Celebration In D.C. Will Leave You Emotional
Saturday night at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. will go down as one of the most important nights in the history of the Savannah Bananas.
Hours after an attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Bananas rookie Robert Anthony Cruz, a former Washington Nationals minor leaguer, stepped up to the plate in D.C.
It was Cruz's final at-bat of the night, and he made it count.
In front of his family, the 25-year-old crushed a monster home run, grabbed an American flag and proceeded to run around the bases with the stars and stripes flying with his teammates following him to home plate while Toby Keith's "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue" blared across the stadium.
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Savannah Bananas Robert Anthony Cruz heads home after hitting a late inning two-run home run during the Bananas defeat of the Firefighters at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. (Photo by John McDonnell/ for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
"Three years ago to the day, [Robert Anthony Cruz] surprised his dad with a Nationals hat after he got the call that he had been signed. Tonight in Nationals Park, he was walked up to the plate by his dad and presented him a Bananas hat. In his last at bat of the game, he hit a home run and got to celebrate in front of a sold out crowd of 42,000 fans. It was a special night for the Cruz family in Washington D.C.," the Bananas' social media team wrote on Instagram.
WATCH RAC go yard in front of his family:
Former Bananas pitcher Christian Dearman, who now pitches for Bananas' opponent, the Firefighters, put it best. "This day will go down as one of the greatest days in Banana Ball history," he wrote on Instagram.
"The Star Spangled Barreler with the most patriotic blast," wrote Bananas veteran Michael ‘Vitamin’ Deeb.
Before taking the field Saturday for the Bananas, Cruz reflected on his baseball life:
"July 13th 2021, I was in my room playing Minecraft when I got that call I will never forget," he wrote on Instagram.
"I was signed by the Nationals. I didn’t know whether or not my name would be called as a senior in college. But it was my dream to play professional baseball. And it’s hard to describe the feeling that came over me when I saw the call from DC. My mom and I celebrated on the stairs of our house. We drove to my dad’s work where my mom recorded ‘that moment’ with my dad.
"It’s been 3 years… To the DAY.
"July 13th 2024 (today) I will play in front of 42,000 people at Nationals Park for the first time.
"I feel no nerves! I’ve learned not to seek the approval of man. Or at least I’m learning. I’m just thankful to be here, and thankful that you all have followed along. I pray that I might be a reflection of the one who is ACTUALLY worth following."
The rest is history.