Through New York Grays, Harrison Bader Found a Different NYC

Looking back now, Owens believes that the Grays positively influenced Bader’s worldview.

“There are a lot of moving parts in this city. There’s a lot of diversity in this city,” Owens said. “You take all this in, and you build your outlook on the world. It’s a worldly look now. You’re not just some isolated bubble up in Bronxville Little League and it’s homogeneous. Now you’re dealing with the real world, people who did not grow up with your privileges — let’s call it what it is — but guess what? When it comes down to it, you guys are teammates, and then nothing else matters. You put on a Grays uniform, or any other uniform, you guys are brothers in arms, and it kind of makes everything else mean less.”

Bader knows exactly what his friend and former coach means. All these years later, he’s thankful that the Grays embraced him and gave him a chance to venture beyond his suburban roots.

He said that the program “definitely” changed his perception of what it means to be a New Yorker.

“I mean, it’s a different world deep in Brooklyn, deep in Queens. I went to private school at Horace Mann, so it’s just different,” Bader said. “Being exposed to other aspects of New York City, different foods, different friends, it was just awesome.

“I loved every second of it.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/13/sports/baseball/harrison-bader-yankees.html