Von Miller of the Broncos shimmied as the Nuggets’ Will Barton high-stepped to home plate, and the two danced after Barton reached on actor Ross Butler’s home run to left field.
There was lots of dancing on this sunny Sunday afternoon at Coors Field. TikTok stars traded in their shoes for cleats at the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game, and fans wearing Major League, Negro Leagues and Minor League gear juked around each other in the concourses.
The score? Who cares? Fans certainly didn’t.
Ben Parris, a 17-year-old who goes to Cherry Creek High School, was pumped to see some of his favorite athletes like Miller, Barton and Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer play softball. But he didn’t know many of the celebrities outside of dancer/celebrity Jojo Siwa.
“I think softball, in general, is a pretty humbling game that evens the playing field,” Parris said. “When you’re talking slowpitch softball, anyone can do it. Watching JoJo Siwa hit a double right after (Seattle Seahawks wide receiver) DK Metcalf struck out in the first out of the game was pretty special.”
Piper Le Jeune, 21, drove from Albuquerque, N.M., for the weekend. Wearing her Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico jersey, she was excited to watch Siwa.
“I knew Jojo would light up Quavo,” she said, referring to Siwa’s double off of the rapper and member of Migos.
Neither Parris nor Le Jeune knew more than a handful of the 30 celebrities who played in the game — like Puerto Rican musical artist Residente.
Sam Ryan, 32, was crushing $15 beers while cheering on Miller and Vinny Castilla. Ryan was there to watch the stars more than the athletes — and he thought the best players in the celebrity lineups were softball phenoms Jennie Finch and Lauren Chamberlain, who he would be happy to have on his softball team.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Von Miller of the Denver Broncos takes photos with fans during the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at Coors Field on July 11, 2021 in Denver, Colorado.
(Finch said before the game that everyone wants her on their softball teams, but joked that she hadn’t found a way to make money off of it.)
“Watching these TikTok people and rappers try to be athletic, it’s entertainment,” he said. “These people are at the top of what they do at their jobs. And in some ways, it’s a little bit humiliating sometimes to watch these guys try to swing a baseball bat or catch a baseball. And it’s amazing.”
Le Jeune remarked that there were probably more people in the park for the Celebrity Softball Game than there were for MLB’s Futures Game earlier in the day.
Why would more people want to watch a low-stakes softball game instead of the soon-to-be stars of the big leagues?
Parris thinks it’s because people like being reminded celebrities are just like us.
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