NFL
Travis Kelce joins NFL stars in celebrity softball game in Cleveland
Travis Kelce took to the softball diamond on Saturday as the Chiefs star participated in a charity game with a host of other NFL players.
The event, hosted by Browns tight end David Njoku, included a home run derby and fan meet-and-greet at Classic Auto Group Park in Cleveland.
And Kelce – who previously starred as a baseball player in high school – appeared at the game alongside Browns players Myles Garrett, Nick Chubb, Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper.
Former Cowboys star Dez Bryant was also in attendance as was ex-Browns receiver Josh Gordon and safety Jabrill Peppers.
Former Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar, who once met Kelce’s girlfriend Taylor Swift at the tight end’s Kansas City mansion, was also at the event.
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In one clip, Kelce could be seen having success during the home run derby, which he reportedly won.
Kelce, of course, is a native of the area as he grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio as a three-sport athlete.
He led the Cleveland area with a .538 batting average as a senior and was even rumored to be flirting with 90 mph from the mound as a pitcher.
In fact, when Kelce was booted from the University of Cincinnati football for marijuana use in 2010, he briefly pursued a baseball career by playing summer ball in a wooden-bat league.
‘He was playing right field,’ Brian Cleary, the former University of Cincinnati baseball coach and now a Washington Nationals scout, told The Athletic. ‘As they take in-and-out [warmups] and as he’s playing pregame, it’s the best thrower of a baseball I’ve ever seen, to this day, in my life.’
However, those skills were called into question when Kelce tossed a now-infamous first pitch for his hometown Cleveland Guardians last year.
Kelce’s pitch off the infield grass and ricocheted off the backstop and over toward photographers.
He immediately ran over to check on Guardian’s pitcher Shane Bieber, who was crouched behind home plate but never had a shot at catching the errant throw.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who also pitched in college and is the son of a former Major League player, responded on Twitter with a slew of laughing emojis.
‘Ayyy @Royals lets give him another chance. ASAP!!!’ he wrote.
While Kelce is enjoying his NFL offseason with some softball, his girlfriend Swift is on tour in Europe.
The pop star will be in Edinburgh, Scotland through the weekend before traveling to Liverpool.