Jack Broderick, at Disbrow Park last summer
The Sultan of Rye Swat, Jack Broderick
In July, during this most unusual 2020 baseball season, Rye Little League’s Jack Broderick and his fellow players competed locally as part of the T-Mobile National Home Run Derby. Jack, who just turned 13 and played mostly centerfield for the Phillies, hit 37 dingers from the left side of the plate to win the competition and qualify for the finals.
The Rye Middle School slugger returned to Grainger Field at Disbrow Park for the next round. “The championship round included the top eight players from across the country, and Jack won the championship by hitting 51 home runs!” declared Rye Little League President Ben Bubeck.
While Jack roots for the real Phillies, his favorite player is Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi.
On December 9, he was honored in a virtual awards ceremony featuring Olympic softball great Jenny Finch and Yankee Luke Voit, the 2020 MLB HR champ.
In a phone conversation, the newly crowned champ told the paper, “I’m really most excited and happy to have been able to win despite Covid-19 being around all year.”
- Photo courtesy of Rye Little League
