HOUSTON — It’s a powerful moment in the World Series. Players, spectators and even the announcers pay tribute to someone lost, battling or a survivor of cancer.
The ‘Stand Up To Cancer’ tribute happened in the middle of the fifth inning of Game 4 of the World Series between the Astros and the Phillies.
During the broadcast, players, coaches, fans and even the game announcers stood with their placards, honoring someone who has battled the disease.
According to Stand up for Cancer, it was meant to be a moment honoring those who are in the fight or who have fought cancer.
For the Astros Trey Mancini, the fight is personal. He is a cancer survivor, diagnosed with colon cancer when he was 28.
Mancini missed the 2020 season while undergoing treatment for colon cancer. He planned to hold up a card honoring Ryan Minor, his Low-A manager in the minors at Delmarva. Mancini said Minor had recently been disagnosed with colon cancer,
Cedric Mullins and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. held up cards for Mancini at the 2021 All-Star Game in Denver.
“I competed in the home run derby the day before, so I was on the flight back and saw that,” Mancini said. “I was overcome with a wave of emotion when I saw that. Cedric, obviously we’re really close and good friends and teammates, and for Vlad to do it as well, somebody that I’ve been playing against for a few years and had a very high respect for, I just thought it was an incredible gesture and it really meant a lot to me. It was a really cool thing to see.”
Astros manager Dusty Baker had surgery for prostate cancer in 2001.
“Mine wasn’t as serious as his,” Baker said. “I followed it from afar when he was in Baltimore. And a lot of guys that have had cancer, especially prostate cancer, called me for advice or asked me what I did for mine.”
Here is video from Wednesday night’s ‘Stand Up to Cancer’ tribute. You can learn more about Stand Up to Cancer here.
