9-Year-Old Bat Boy Gets Special Tribute at Team's 1st Game Since Death
There was "an outpouring of love" during the team's first game after his death.
— -- Kaiser Carlile, the 9-year-old bat boy who died after accidentally being struck by a bat, received a special tribute when the Kansas summer baseball team he so loved played for the first time since his death.
The Liberal Bee Jays, part of a summer league for college players, produced thousands of baseball cards Tuesday night featuring Carlile, which was made available for a small donation in Wichita, ABC News affiliate KAKE reported.
The donations are part of a larger effort to help Carlile's family with medical expenses and other financial needs.
"It's an amazing family, full of love," stadium employee Jerry Taylor told KAKE. "They love baseball so this is the least we can do to give back to them."
Taylor added that there had been an "outpouring of love" from the community and tournament.
"I mean all the people that are coming through these gates are helping out tremendously," he said. " And it just proves to you that baseball is just a special game."
In addition to the commemorative cards, hundreds of fans in the Lawrence Dumont Stadium wore blue and donned the initials "K.C." in memory of Carlile, KAKE reported. Before the baseball game began, a moment of silence was held for 9-year-old Carlile, and a banner with his initials was hung in his honor, the station added.
Carlile's sister kicked off the game with the first pitch, and shortly after, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell, also honored Carlisle with kind words.
"Kaiser is often referred to as spark plug," Longwell said. "His love for baseball, the Liberal Bee Jays ignited this team and the Liberal community. And just like a bolt of lighting he was gone to quickly."
Carlile, who was the bat boy for the Liberal Bee Jays, was accidentally struck in the head during a game this past Saturday as a player was taking practice swings. He was wearing a helmet.
The 9-year-old was hospitalized in critical condition and succumbed to his injuries this past Monday.
"With the permission of the family, and with much sorrow and a very broken heart, I regretfully inform everyone that Kaiser Carlile passed away earlier this evening," team president Nathan McCaffrey wrote in a statement. "Please keep his family and our team in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you all for the support during this ordeal."
Kadon Simmons, a player on the team, referred to Carlile as "a little brother I never had" in an Instagram post.
"No person or team could ask for a better bat boy," Simmons wrote. "It is terrible to see you leave in such a way, but knowing your last moments were on the baseball field makes it easier through this whole process, because you were doing what you loved."
