East Texas heart: Little League player surprised by glove from Braves Josh Tomlin

Published 10:50 am Saturday, June 12, 2021

Tyler’s Josh Tomlin was in an Atlanta-area Dick’s Sporting Goods Store this past week when he saw a Little League baseball player wearing his number on his jersey looking for a glove to pitch.

The child had no idea Tomlin was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, and with a perfect 3-0 record, one of the best pitchers in the game today.

“The guy (Tomlin) was giving the kid all kinds of tips and telling him what glove is best for pitching,” store employee Josh Rainwater said in a group family text shared by his brother on social media. “he got a (Wilson A2000) off the wall, which is like a $300 glove and went and checked it out. he walked back over to the kid and gave him a glove … turns out my manager knew who he was, #32 Josh Tomlin pitcher for the Braves.”

Tomlin explained to the child, only known as “Reggie,” the difference between gloves used to play positions and gloves used to pitch. The family was looking for a pitching glove.

Tomlin, who attended Whitehouse High School, Angelina College and Texas Tech, gave the family one last surprise. Tomlin also paid for the protection plan and a glove steaming, which fits the glove to the hand and is ready to use immediately in a game.

Tomlin, who usually doesn’t post on social media, tweeted at the brother of Rainwater, “I got lucky and went to Dicks at the right time. Big things coming for Reggie. #32 #doitreg.”

David O’Brien, who covers the Atlanta Braves for The Athletic said on Twitter, “Josh Tomlin is the real deal, folks. What a gesture. And he would NEVER mention this himself. That’s who he is.”

On Saturday’s Braves broadcast on Bally Sports South, Kelly Crull of the network shared the story while Tomlin was on the mound: “Before leaving for this road trip, Josh Tomlin was spotted at a Dick’s Sporting Goods and bought a travel bag and overheard a young boy talking to his mother about he needed a new glove. And Josh told me that he could hear the passion in his voice. I know and could tell how good he wants to be in this sport, so I stepped over and asked him if I could offer up any tips and mentioned that the glove was probably too heavy and too big for him. This kid was in full uniform, wearing 32, just like Josh.

“Josh said, so tell me, do you have a favorite Braves fan? He said, yes sir, Ronald Acuna Jr. Josh kind of smiled said hang tight. He actually went out to his truck in the parking lot, still had the giveaway of the bobblehead of Ronald Acuna Jr. and said here you go and promise me on e thing, do me a favor. If you love this game that much, you’ll never give it up, no matter how hard it gets. The young Reggie said yes sir. He said OK, pick out any glove on that wall that you want, and I’ll take care of it. Josh said I could tell he still hadn’t put together who I was and neither had his mother, but his mother came over in tears and gave Josh this huge hug and said thank you so much.

“And Josh told me guys, that’s what it’s all about. We have missed that in this last year, all that we have gone through as human beings, to get that hug from her, to see those tears, my day was made, I was in tears. He left the store and it wasn’t until the young Reggie and his mother were leaving that the manager stepped up and said you know guys, that was Josh Timlin of the braves. And she said, you’re kidding me.”

Tomlin pitched a shutout inning in Saturday’s game at Miami.

Tomlin, who made his MLB debut in 2010 with the Cleveland Indians, and is off to a 3-0 start this season with 20 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. Tomlin is 68-56 in his career and won 13 games in 2016 and 12 games in 2011.

With the Cleveland Indians, he won the teams highest honor for character as well.

twitter @23johnanderson