In the first inning of Sunday's Little League Classic between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals, Phillies second basemen Bryson Stott approached the plate holding a pencil.
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Well, not exactly. Stott was actually holding a Victus brand wood bat that looked exactly like the classic No. 2 pencil so many of us used during our youths. The bat's features included a school bus yellow barrel, a pinkish-red eraser as the bat's knob, a black handle to represent lead, and even that little green metal piece between the eraser and yellow barrel — all of which made the bat resemble a pencil so perfectly that it went absurdly viral on social media.
https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1693414971303166193
MLB.com also reported some of the pencil bat's less-obvious aspects: It had "B2SKL" inscribed near the top — shorthand for back to school — and a "2/HR" marking on the same spot where a No. 2 pencil typically has the "2" label, showcasing Stott's home run hopes. The good news for anybody who wants a pencil bat for themselves is that it's available for purchase on Victus' website, in both youth and adult sizes.
Unfortunately, Stott's home run hopes didn't come to fruition. He ended up going 1 for 4 with a single and a run scored during the game, which the Nationals ultimately won 4-3 — despite the Phillies scoring all three runs in the ninth inning. But neither Stott's stats nor the game's outcome are what the many Little Leaguers in attendance will remember.
Each season, the MLB hosts this Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, while the Little League World Series is underway. It's a way to celebrate baseball and inspire the game's youth players. During the day, MLB players interact with kids on the Little League World Series teams, as well as other kids who came to Williamsport to watch some baseball. Then the MLB players suit up and square off that night before a crowd full of kids and their parents.
The Little League Classic is the perfect way to close out the summer before school begins. And what better way to remind kids of school than with a pencil bat?
