In the last few days, Pete Alonso and Megan Rapinoe both became champions. Pete won the Major League Home Run Hitting Contest. Megan co-captained of the World Cup-winning, Woman’s USA Soccer Team.
Alonso, a rookie first baseman for the NY Mets is tied for second in the major leagues with 30 home runs and becoming a huge attendance draw for his struggling team. As a first-year player, he is by today’s standards, making a pittance relative to what he’s worth. The million dollar, long-ball prize Pete earned, doubled his yearly salary.
We’re not sure how much Rapinoe will be paid for the team’s victory, but she’s made no secret, throughout the entire tournament, that it’s not going to be enough. She feels the ladies should be paid on par with what the USA Men’s Soccer Team receives. It’s unclear, absent a World Cup audience, if Megan’s special skill set will consistently fill stadium seats.
Rapinoe has used her time in the spotlight to take on President Trump, refuse to honor the National Anthem, and generally complain about conditions in the United States.She spoke about the president not being inclusive, but profanely, preemptively ruled out an invite to the White House. Megan, despite wearing US colors refused to put her hand over her heart for the Star Spangled Banner, and overall has politicized the team’s magnificent run to the cup.
At a Manhattan ceremony honoring that achievement Rapinoe, in front of thousands of adoring young ladies looking for a role model screamed, “New York City, you’re the mother***ing best!”
Pete Alonso found a very different way to celebrate his terrific win. The underpaid Met made a pledge to donate 10% of his prize to two charities. The Wounded Warriors Project, which aids military vets, and Tunnels to Towers Foundation, which raises money for first responders, will each get $50,000.
Alonso’s motivation came from the fact both his grandfathers served in the U.S. military.
He put it all in pitch-perfect perspective. “This year, it’s just been so special. I’ve been living a fantasy,” Alonso said. “Yeah, it’s about the money, but for me, it’s about the platform and the whole purpose behind it. The awareness is the important thing. And I hope other people can find the kindness in their hearts to reach out and help other people that help us. “
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“I feel like a really strong bond with those people who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And also on the same token, on the flip side, the same people that are willing to make that sacrifice to protect us here at home, whether it’s firefighters, EMTs, cops, there’s so many people that are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice every day. They don’t know what they’re going to go into when they go into work. A bad day at work for them is a lot different than me going 0-for-4 or getting booed off the field.”
We know which of these two athletes we’d like our kids to look up to.
Editor Add-on:
So much respect for Pete Alonso after this interview! Completely selfless interview and act to donate 10% of winnings! This dude might be a rookie but he definitely acts and plays well above his years! These are the type of guys baseball and sports need 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/cz1kas669w
— Reds Problems (@redsproblems) July 9, 2019
Warning, vulgar language:
And, of course, her awesome (and NSFW) NYC shout-out to close pic.twitter.com/eRCNMYqntH
— Marcus Gilmer (@marcusgilmer) July 10, 2019