How Al Leiter made a 10-year-old cancer survivor’s night at the Celebrity Softball Game

If you weren’t watching the MLB All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday night, you may have missed one of the nicest moments of the 2017 All-Star Game festivities, and it was all thanks to former Met Al Leiter.

Jacob Teel, a ten-year-old cancer survivor from Delight, Arkansas, was brought to this year’s All-Star Game thanks to a partnership between MLB and Stand Up to Cancer. Teel has battled cancer three times already, and is currently receiving treatment for Leukemia at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

As a huge baseball fan, Teel was extremely excited to attend the All-Star Game festivities and got to serve as a special youth correspondent for Stand Up to Cancer. Teel, and everyone else, believed that he’d be attending the Celebrity Softball Game to interview some of the participants like Jamie Foxx and Jennie Finch. When the game started, however, all that changed.

In the first inning, former Mets and Marlins great Al Leiter had a surprise for Teel. He gave up his at-bat to let Teel take a turn at the plate. Teel, wielding a bat almost as tall as he is, cracked a generous infield single on the first pitch and took his place at first base. Later in the inning, Teel actually scored a run after Benito Santiago hit a home run.

In an All-Star week short on feel-good moments for the Mets, it was nice to see Al Leiter make a kid’s night. It will certainly be an experience for Jacob Teel to remember as he continues his fight against cancer.