Young Patrick Mahomes used to run all over the Shea Stadium outfield shagging fly balls during batting practice, and it worried the bejeezus out of former Mets manager Bobby Valentine.
Mahomes’ father, Pat Mahomes Sr., pitched for the Mets in 1999 and 2000 in the middle of an 11-year MLB career.
Valentine spoke with longtime Mets publicist Jay Horwitz about his recollections of the current Chiefs’ star quarterback running around the field as a young kid.
“I didn’t want anyone getting hurt out there,” Valentine said, laughing. “I wanted to be certain that no one would ever get injured. I understand that players were away from their families a great deal and this was one way for the kids and dads to bond.”
While other kids apparently used to take part in the ritual, including the sons of John Franco, Todd Zeile and Mike Hampton, Mahomes was the youngest of the crew.
“I remember thinking how is he not going to get killed out there,” Valentine recalled. “I thought there was no way he would be able to hold his own but he proved me wrong. He was quite the athlete.”
Former Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani recalled Mahomes being an electric athlete, even back then.
“He was a shagger,” Agbayani said in an interview with Horwitz. “He could really go get the ball … I remember yelling over to Jay Payton to watch the kid. He had some arm.”
Now a two-time NFL MVP, Mahomes is gunning for his third championship in Super Bowl 2024 against the 49ers in Las Vegas on Sunday.
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