KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals honored two firefighters who were killed while fighting a massive blaze that engulfed an apartment building Monday night.
Fox Sports reported that first baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas wore Kansas City Fire Department shirts during batting practice Tuesday. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and manager Ned Yost wore department hats.
Hosmer’s father, Mike, is a retired Miami firefighter.
“I was fortunate never to have a phone call from the fire department saying something crazy happened,” Hosmer said. “So I can only imagine what their families are going through.”
Firefighters Larry Leggio and John Mesh died when a wall collapsed shortly after the two had rescued trapped civilians by ladder. Two other firefighters were also injured.
“For me, personally, this really hits home,” Hosmer said. “Having a father be a firefighter for 29 years — I just remember plenty of times being on the phone with him, and him hanging up and having to go on a run. It’s always a tough time, and nervous, to wait for a call back.”
Hosmer put together a charitable wine-tasting event through “Uncork for a Cause,” with the proceeds benefiting the Greater Kansas City Firefighters Local 42 Community Assistance organization, including several local firefighters battling cancer.
“My parents did well with my brother and me,” Hosmer said. “We never realized how dangerous the job was until we got a little older.”
Hosmer said if baseball hadn’t worked out, he would have likely followed in his father’s footsteps to become a firefighter.
“That was the career I was going to pursue,” he said. “I grew up in the firehouse. I would always go visit the guys, and just seeing the bond they have, there’s a lot of similarities to the bond we have here.”
Several members of Yost’s family also have been firefighters, especially on his wife’s side.
“I think we all woke up with heavy hearts today,” the Royals manager said. “I’ve spent many, many hours at fire stations growing up, just going to sit and talk to my friends who were firefighters, and spend an hour or two there. It is personal.”