The tears flowed for Pete Alonso on the field after finally setting his home run record
The 2019 season has been a whirlwind for rookie Pete Alonso. He went from cracking the Mets' roster at the end of March to winning hearts with his prodigious power, first in Queens with a phenomenal first half, and then everywhere else, thanks to his thrilling Home Run Derby victory.
Alonso's delightful personality is infectious, and it doesn't take a baseball die-hard to enjoy watching him smack dingers left and right. How could you not enjoy this goofball?
.@Pete_Alonso20 talks walk-off walk and his rookie season, shirtless on #MLBTonight!@Mets | #BallparkCam pic.twitter.com/92mbMxt4oV
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 7, 2019
An icon.
Alonso was on a record home run pace for most of the season, and on Saturday night, he set the all-time mark for rookies by blasting his 53rd roundtripper.
Alonso's grin may have been unstoppable when he tied the record on Friday, but on Saturday, the emotions of the moment overtook him entirely.
Although Alonso was waving his arms and flashing that winning smile right after he touched home plate, it didn't last long. By the time he trotted out to first base to begin the next half-inning on defense, the tears of joy overwhelmed him, even as he was warming up.
Pete Alonso feeling all the emotions after breaking the record pic.twitter.com/qPMGzavSk9
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 29, 2019
Imagine where Alonso's mind was in this moment. Sixty-three players were chosen before him in the 2016 Draft, and he was rarely considered among the game's elite prospects. There was even uncertainty about whether the Mets should have put him on the Opening Day roster.
Now, here he was -- one of the best rookie sluggers to ever play the game and a shoo-in for National League Rookie of the Year. If ever there was a time to let the tears flow, this was it, and it was moving to simply watch it all unfold at home.
Just ask the fans:
PETE ALONSO, MY PERFECT SON, DID IT
— Erik Malinowski (@erikmal) September 29, 2019
Oh Pete we love you so much. We're crying too tbh. #LFGM #LivingYourDream pic.twitter.com/kGP3b2daoi
— Mookie 4ever86 (@mookie4ever86) September 29, 2019
I am not well. pic.twitter.com/J6zfzJ90a1
— Shannon Lynch (@shannonblynch) September 29, 2019
So don't worry, Pete. We're all getting teary-eyed right there with you.
All hail the new rookie home run king.
KING OF NEW YORK 👑 pic.twitter.com/2x7IHQy1IN
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 29, 2019
Andrew Mearns is a writer for Cut4 whose baseball obsession was born from the shattered dreams of Mike Mussina's perfect game attempt in 2001. He has a startling memory of World Series highlights that barely functions as a party trick.
