Bryce Harper is a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, and speculation swirled when he was drafted that he’d someday like to play for his favorite team.
On June 29, he instantly put all those rumors to rest:
You look at Cal Ripken. You look at Derek Jeter. You look at all the greats that played for one team their whole career. I want to be like that. I’ve always wanted to be like that. I’ve always wanted to play with that same team.
Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post gives a fantastic, full-length look at Harper’s daily life in Washington, looking into the much smaller details of why Harper loves the city.
Harper may be just 19 years old, but he knows exactly where he wants to be 15 years down the line. Kilgore put it best in his story:
[Harper] remains a 19-year-old who could be in college but is instead living alone in a top-story apartment in Pentagon City, a $9.9 million contract in his pocket and a $20 Weber grill on the balcony. He does his own laundry, except when his father visits. When he is bored, he goes shopping in Georgetown. He thinks of Washington as home with a surprising—or, for the Nationals and their fans, encouraging—degree of permanence.
Harper truly appreciates Washington and the fans of the Nationals and wants to do everything possible to give back to them, as well as others in need of assistance.
Take his “clown question, bro” statement. Just for fun, the Denver Beer Company created a beer with the same name—a beer that Harper himself is not old enough to drink.
On June 25, Harper learned of Denver-area police officer Celena Hollis, a woman who was killed in the line of duty. She left behind a 12-year-old daughter that she cared for on her own.
Harper’s response was to suggest that the profits be donated from the just-for-fun beer to a memorial fund to support Hollis’ daughter.
Charitable acts like this will do well to keep Harper in good standing with the city and MLB fans nationwide, although he is not just going out of his way to be charitable.
Ron Harper, Bryce’s father, believes that his son is “as loyal as they come” and says that his son spoke of Washington as his home.
With Harper comfortable in Washington, there’s good reason to believe that his production will only continue to improve.
As of Saturday morning, Harper owns a line of .280/.354/.486 with eight home runs and 22 RBI.
Harper has been a savior for Washington, both on and off the field. He, the Nationals and the city will continue to enjoy great things for as long as Harper wears the red, navy and white.
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