Albies had himself a special day in the Braves' 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
When the Atlanta Braves took the field against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies knew he had a strong support system in the stands.
In a crowd full of the world’s top Little League Baseball World Series teams, one team meant everything for Albies to see compete in the big tournament – Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curaçao, the same league Albies once played for in his youth.
The opportunity for Albies to play in front of them in a big league game capped off an unforgettable day for the Braves’ longtime infielder.
“I’m definitely never going to forget this day,” Albies said, according to MLB Network. “As a kid, you dream to play here. Now to play here in the big leagues is special.”
Earlier on Sunday, Albies attended Curaçao’s LLBWS game against South Korea in Williamsport. Albies spent time hanging out with the team prior to the game, while also taking the time to catch up with one of his former coaches from his youth that is a part of Curaçao’s current coaching staff.
Prior to that game’s first pitch, Albies said he cried when he stood for Curaçao’s national anthem on the biggest Little League stage.
“Emotion hit right away, I had tears in my eyes,” Albies said. “Listening to the national anthem here in the United States and seeing the kids from [Pariba Little League] playing, was just really emotional and I’m happy for them to get to join and play this beautiful game.”
Albies never made the Little League World Series with Curaçao. But the passion for the game there is immense, which is especially special in a tight-knit country. Curaçao’s population is roughly around only 150,000 people, but is very devoted to the sport.
In spending the early parts of his day with the Curaçao team and getting to play in front of them at the Little League Classic later on, the day was a memorable one for Albies, who once dreamed of playing in the Little League World Series in his youth.
“That was a dream as a little kid,” Albies said. “Our team wasn’t good enough to make it, so we lost. We never had the opportunity to come here and play on that same field, and today I experienced that. It’s like a mini version of a big league, it’s super cool.”
Albies played a key role in the Braves’ 4-2 victory over the Brewers, going 2-for-5 at the plate and scoring a run in the cleanup hole of the Braves’ order.
