Bryce Harper, the talented right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, hit a home run on Tuesday night in honor of a Philly sports radio caller “Chuck in Mt. Airy.”
Harper’s exceptional performance, which included a home run and a double, was fueled by the motivation he received from Chuck’s call.
The Philadelphia Phillies secured a 12-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, with Harper at the forefront of the team’s offensive onslaught.
The highlight of the night came when Harper smashed his 299th career home run in the second inning, followed by a double later in the game.
Little did the fans know that they had WIP caller “Chuck in Mt. Airy” to thank for Harper’s remarkable performance.
Despite Harper’s already impressive August stats, which include a .366 batting average, nine home runs, 22 RBIs, and a 1.229 OPS, he was seeking some additional motivation before Tuesday night’s game.
And he found it through the airwaves of Philadelphia’s local sports radio.
During a press conference after the game, Harper shared his experience, stating, “It’s funny, I was driving in today and I’m listening to WIP like I do a lot. The 2:00 hour. A guy named Chuck called in, and he calls in a lot. He’s hilarious. He was talking about our team and talking about me and stuff. I walked into the training room, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna go deep tonight for Chuck.’ That guy had me fired up, man.”
The radio show in question is Mark & Reese, and several clips of Chuck’s Tuesday appearance were shared online following Harper’s revelation.
Chuck’s admiration for Harper was evident when he expressed, “Now I wanna say something about my man, Bryce Harper. Bryce Harper, listen, man, if I don’t do anything before I die, I’m gonna shake that man’s hand one day.”
The hosts of the Mark & Reese show acknowledged the possibility of Harper listening to Chuck’s call, as they stated, “Well, Chuck, he could be listening right now as we know his routine is to listen to the Mark & Reese show on his way into the park.”
Chuck’s unwavering support for Harper continued as he remarked, “Bryce Harper, man, might come down as one of the best Phillies ever, know what I’m saying. And I don’t want to see nobody else win a ring more than I wanna see that guy win one.”
With the news of Harper’s dedication to hitting a home run for Chuck spreading, fans eagerly anticipated Chuck’s appearance on the Mark & Reese show the following day.
It seems that a handshake between Chuck and Harper may be on the horizon, as Chuck expressed his desire to meet the star player someday.
The impact of passionate fans on athletes is immeasurable, and Bryce Harper’s exceptional performance on Tuesday night serves as a testament to that.
