The York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League were trailing the Sugar Land Skeeters in the eighth inning of a pivotal playoff game until Sean Smith took the plate. His homer evened the score, but he tore his ACL around first base. He wouldn’t let that stop him from getting home, hopping around the remaining three bases to make his home run official.
Minor leaguer tears ACL after hitting game-tying homer, shows determination to hop around bases
Sean Smith of the York Revolution wouldn’t let a horrible injury prevent him from making it around the bases in a clutch moment of a key playoff game.
The 31-year-old former Pirates and White Sox farmhand perseveres through what must’ve been intense pain, shooing off potential help, eventually pounding his chest yelling “LET’S GO” at teammates and fans as he rounded third. It clearly inspired his teammates: the Revolution won 3-2 in the tenth inning, and took a 2-1 series lead, putting them one game away from the league’s championship series.
Some might call this insane. The level of competition was low -- you might remember the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League from Tracy McGrady’s gimmicky stint earlier this year. The act was completely pointless -- surely umps would’ve allowed someone to help carry Smith around the bases, or even just allowed the homer rather than forcing a badly injured player to hop home. And by hopping around the bases he probably put himself at risk for further injury. But Smith’s determination and passion for the game shone through, and made for a truly incredible moment.
Smith’s evening didn’t even end with the game:
Big @yorkrevolution win. Sean Smith on crutches + brace still signs for the kids. See why I love the #yorkrevs pic.twitter.com/M89EFGRutE
— bx (@bx22) September 27, 2014 See More:
