A young Phillies fan who went viral this week for imitating José Alvarado while he pitched out of a jam in the 8th inning on Tuesday was given the surprise of a lifetime during batting practice Friday.
Twelve-year-old Princeton Bailey, along with his family, was invited by the Phillies to batting practice, but what they didn't tell the team's new good luck charm was that he would get to meet his idol in person.
Alvarado surprised Prince by meeting him and his family on the field, signing memorabilia, taking pictures and even giving Prince a necklace with the colors of Venezuela.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE But for Prince's grandfather, Troy Bailey, the imitation was nothing new. He said, at home, imitations are just what Prince does.
"He does that with all the sports he watches," Troy Bailey said. "He imitates Jalen Hurts, running backs, quarterbacks, pitchers. When he watches TV, that's what he does."
The viral moment came at quite a tense moment for Alvarado and the Phillies. The team was up 3-2 over the Washington Nationals when the division rival got the bases loaded with two outs. That's when Princeton did his thing, and many Phillies fans say his move brought the team good fortunes.
Alvarado got the strikeout, ending the inning.
News
The game was Prince's first Phillies game ever, and was a gift for his birthday. But the gift got even bigger when he saw his imitation go viral on social media.
"By the time we got to Broad Street, it was all over social media," Troy Bailey said of their experience following the game.
The video even got the attention of Alvarado, who wanted to meet his imitator after seeing the clip for himself.
"It was really amazing and surprising to see that little kid just doing like I was during the game," Alvarado said. "And it was something super exciting to watch after the game."
Now, Alvarado was able to return the favor to Prince, who got the experience of a lifetime for his second-ever baseball game.