KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The internet went wild last year after Royals catcher, Salvador Perez, stopped by and played Wiffle ball with the kids at Cameron Lard's house.
"I never thought any of this would happen," Lard said. "After Salvy came, we’ve just been playing and hoping he comes back.”
KSHB 41 has met with "Salvy's Sandlot" several times since August, including when Lard and his mom attended a 2024 Postseason season at The K and when the entire Wiffle ball crew presented Salvador Perez with a Musial Award.
On Opening Day 2025 Thursday at Kauffman Stadium, Cameron and the rest of "Salvy's Sandlot" were invited to participate in pre-game ceremonies.
"It’s really scary," Lard added.
They were given the Royal treatment, announcing "Play ball!" following the National Anthem.
To get to their few moments of fame, it was hurry up and wait.
The boys were seated in the Royals press conference room, said hi to Royals Manager Matt Quatraro as he passed through the clubhouse, and fist-bumped a few players.
It was an experience they would never have had without Salvy's kindness last fall.
“It’s been pretty crazy," Hudson Hockett told KSHB 41. "Just playing with the little guys and it’s just awesome man, playing with Salvy. Today means a lot because we get to see him live one more time all together."
It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all the boys. Many say it's one of the best things to happen to them.
“We’ve been playing Wiffle ball with each other for years now," Henry Golubski said. "It’s cool to be all together at Royals stadium.”
The boys say their Wiffle ball season has already begun. They're eager to see if Salvy will come back to the yard to play this year.
“A lot of grass has grown in places," added Braxton Henderson.
When it comes to playing at "Salvy's Sandlot," you should expect the craziest thing to happen.
"Expect anything, man," Dawson Hockett said. "One year ago, I would’ve never thought about this. As a die-hard Royals fan, I don’t know I've ever seen the players this close."
The boys have learned a lot since Salvy's visit, welcoming new players, playing fair, and being kind.
"He [Salvy] was nice to us, to drive by and take some time out of his day and play with us," Myles Roberson said. "Now we can take time out of our day to do this for him. It’s really just normal for us to be nice to people."
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.