It’s perhaps one of the greatest acts of sportsmanship possible: in your moment of greatest triumph, to take time out to commiserate with your opponent.
And there was a particularly impressive example during a high school baseball section championship game in Minnesota.
When consoling a childhood friend is a little more important than immediately celebrating a trip to the state championship.
(via @bringmethenews) pic.twitter.com/BSlbXMKrC2
— Cut4 (@Cut4) June 11, 2018
The key players, according to local news outlet bringmethenews.com, were pitcher Ty Koehn of Mounds View and batter Jack Kocon of Totino-Grace.
As he got the final out of the game to send his side to the state championship at the expense of the top seeds, Koehn didn’t initially join in with his teammates’ celebrations, instead embracing the batter he just struck out.
A little different angle of the at bat… pic.twitter.com/d9G4MWGhqa
— Jim Moberg (@b757fo_jim) June 11, 2018
And it turns out the pair are more than just opponents: Koehn revealed the pair were close friends who used to play on the same little league team.
“I knew I had to say something,” he told bringmethenews.com. “Our friendship is more important than just the silly outcome of a game.
“I had to make sure he knew that before we celebrated.”
Twitter users loved watching Koehn’s act of sportsmanship.
I pray every day I am raising my boys this right. https://t.co/WRZH4z9era
— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) June 11, 2018
Moments like these are just part of what makes sports incredible beyond the game. https://t.co/cSji3TAqiq
— Jeremy Reuter (@reuterje) June 11, 2018
This will be the best sports-related video you see today (and most other days as well). If only there was more of this both within and outside the world of sports. #compassion #sportsmanship #friendship https://t.co/rsUQeIfOdf
— Todd Sharrock (@ToddSharrock) June 11, 2018
