Reds’ Batboy Ted Kremer Inspires Team

Very rarely does a batboy become one of the most adored people in a stadium.  Very rarely do Major League Baseball players smile when they’re having a bad day. When Ted Kremer, a young man with Down syndrome, comes to a Great American Ball Park, everything changes. Attitudes are uplifted, players are inspired, and everyone, despite how the game is going for them, can easily grin.

Before Todd Frazier went up to bat in the 6th inning, Ted Kremer went over to him in the dugout and told Todd “Come on, hit me a home run, I love you”. Frazier promised he’d hit him one.

Guess what happened? A home run.

“It was great how excited— that look,” Frazier said. “I started smiling even before I hit home plate because I knew it. They said he forgot to pick the bat up, so the umpire was yelling at him. He was such a great a great guy. You can’t get mad— even if you have a terrible day. How can you be mad when you’ve got a guy like that around?”

Ted also seems to be a good luck charm; twice he has been a batboy, and both times the Reds have won by scoring a lot of runs. “Last year I think we hit like seven home runs when he was here and this year we get 11. He just brings a lot of joy, he’s always happy, running around, telling everyone ‘great job.’ He’s telling Frazier to hit a home run and he does it. It’s little stuff like that, he keeps the dugout pretty positive.” said Reds’ shortstop, Zack Cozart.

After the game, as if Ted hadn’t already had enough fun, Jeff Piecoro, from Fox Sports Ohio, interview him and Todd Frazier on the field.

It’s safe to say that not only Ted, but some of the players, will never forget that Thursday night.