Being a 6-year-old kid is pretty awesome. There is no job to worry about, no bills to pay and no real drama other than the color of juice box you get after a Saturday afternoon tee-ball game. It's a simple time in life, but one boy found a way to elevate himself to superstar status.
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Meet Drake Livingston. He was the assistant pitching coach for the Kalamazoo Growlers summer college league in Michigan in 2019. Coach Drake was a fan favorite at games at Homer Stryker Field and became an Internet sensation across the country.
https://twitter.com/kzoogrowlers/status/1148597741662195712
Coach Drake first went viral on social media for an adorable mound visit. That video had over 1.3 million views.
Then, a short time later, he did it again with a hilarious tantrum that featured kicking dirt on the home plate umpire, spiking his hat, throwing bats and dumping balls that led to his Northwoods League ejection.
6-Year-Old Coach Drake's Ejection
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Being a baseball coach is hard work, but 6-year-old Drake Livingston showed an undeniable passion for it in his first year. He would come out of the dugout to give pep talks, but also had time to deliver all-time meltdowns that got the crowd and the announcers going.
Coach Drake was unstoppable at every baseball game he went to and gave more compelling arguments for balls and strikes than some MLB managers.
"Drake is a very passionate kid, and there has been a few instances where his passion is overwhelming," Cody Livingston, Drake's father, told CBS News. "He's really been great with the guys, and the team atmosphere of it has really been important for him...Being around the guys, just doing anything he can for the team, has been just a godsend."
After his ejection, he even gave the home plate umpire flowers, balloons and a life-sized teddy bear as his apology.
The coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 outbreak might have spoiled Kalamazoo Growlers games and the assistant coach's return last season, but nobody could forget Coach Drake Livingston and his hilarious, trending antics last year.
This post was originally published on June 16, 2020.
