The Walk Off Homer
I am sure scenes like this one are playing out all over the place as little league season comes to an end and the winners and losers are determined. This particular shot was taken by Jill Stern, a citizen journalist in the finest notion of the term, who is the mother of the Dodger's star pitcher, and who had also volunteered to shoot the game for the local greenwich village paper, The Villager.
The specifics of the play are as follows. Dodgers vs Reds for the Greenwich Village Little League championship. Dodgers in control for the entire game until a 6th inning rally by the Reds puts them up 4-3 going into the bottom of the last inning. Avery, shown leading the pack of teammates out onto the field, walked, stole second, then third, and got home on a wild pitch setting up the dramatic ending.
David Heffernan, aka Hef, who is the kid sliding/kneeling at home, stepped up and proceeded to slam a walkoff homer deep over the center left field fence and onto Leroy Street. What an ending and what a photo. Congrats to the Dodgers, including my son Josh.
That is an awesome picture. Events like that can be some of the best memories for kids.
Posted by: Paul | June 19, 2007 at 05:47 PM
I heard about the shot, but missed seeing it in person. It is taking on the status of little league legend - all the younger kids and parents were talking about it at the games that day and next - so I am glad to see documentation that it really occurred.
I heard Hef hit the shot, ran around the bases and then quickly ran off the field and jumped in a cab. (Reminds me of the time Pearl Washington hit a running 3/4 shot against Boston College as time ran out and ran up the runway to the locker room as the shot went in.)
Posted by: Rich | June 19, 2007 at 07:08 PM
Great small world moment. Here I am in Philly, just checking my tech blogs, and there's a picture of my old college tutor's son, winning the Greenwich Village Little League championship game. By the way, young David Hef is a very nice kid.
Posted by: Mike Cullina | June 19, 2007 at 09:26 PM
Too bad he didn't smash one of those floodlights... :)
Posted by: Charlie | June 20, 2007 at 08:19 AM
Wow what a great moment for Hef and the entire team. That is what Little League is all about.
Posted by: Mike D | June 20, 2007 at 12:52 PM
Fred, glad to see you too are blogging little league post season excitment. What a blast!
Posted by: Mike H | June 21, 2007 at 08:00 PM
i played in this game, i'm on the reds though. i was the catcher when heff hit that homer. its spelled HEFF not hef. But just remember everyone, we were the last place team, and we made it to the championships, the dodgers were in first place. heff deserved that homer, but just remember, we were only 3 out away from winning that game!
gvll rox!
hy
Posted by: GVLLhyBaseball | May 22, 2008 at 05:41 PM