Monday, September 22

KANSAS CITY -- As Bobby Witt Jr. steps into the batter's box, he tries to clear his mind of racing thoughts by taking a deep breath and centering his focus. It’s a simple technique that has gotten him through his entire playing career, dating back to high school, and one he relies on now in his biggest moments.

He’s got an entire classroom of second graders doing it, too.

Witt is a Classroom Champion for the Royals Literacy League, a program launched three years ago by the Kansas City Royals Foundation in partnership with the Sherman Family Foundation, SchoolSmart KC and nine Kansas City public and charter schools in the area. The purpose is to increase literacy rates, build excitement around literacy with elementary-aged students and support teachers. Eighteen classrooms at nine schools have a designated Royals player as a Classroom Champion, supporting the teachers and students during the school year through in-person visits and personalized videos.

Witt has partnered with Ingels Elementary teacher Kellee Ransom’s second-grade class for the past two seasons. And he’s taught students what they now all call the “Bobby Breath” to help them stay calm and relaxed in challenging moments in and out of school.

“These are second graders -- they’re learning conflict management, they’re learning how to handle themselves, they’re learning all those soft skills that are absolutely necessary to carry them through their academic and life trajectories,” Ransom said. “They’re using that Bobby Breath as encouragement to stay focused and stay in the game. That’s a teacher’s greatest dream for her students: Can they get a hold of that voice inside their head that can oftentimes make them feel defeated or make them feel like they can’t escape? To be able to have power over that at a very early age sets children up to be highly successful throughout their lives. 

“They hear me speak about it all the time: Come on, believe in yourselves, you can do this. But to be able to make that connection by watching Bobby literally live it out and teach them, there’s no greater thing.”

Witt’s involvement in the Royals Literacy League is one reason why he’s Kansas City’s nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award this year, the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, on and off the field. Each MLB club nominates one player to be considered for the league-wide award.

Salvador Perez was the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award winner, the first Royal to win the award that most players consider the most prestigious because of what -- and who -- it represents.

“Salvy knows how much impact he can have because of who he is, and he makes others feel special,” Witt said. “It’s the little things that go further than the game. You get this time frame of playing baseball. Once it’s done, you’re still 30-40 years old. How can you make an impact while you’re playing and then make it last?”

Many of Witt’s efforts off the field revolve around his passion for the game. For the past two seasons, Witt has hosted a youth baseball clinic for over 300 Kansas City children. The camp is a way for Witt to give back to kids who love baseball as much as he does, but it also raises money for causes Witt cares about; in 2024, he gave $45,000 to support Royals superfan Sarah Nauser’s battle with ALS. This year, the proceeds totaled $50,000 for the Edward Dulle family in collaboration with Susanna Smiles, a non-profit that supports families with children who have a critically ill parent or who have lost a parent.

Witt was named the first PLAY BALL Ambassador this year and is featured in regular content pieces across PLAY BALL and MLB channels to encourage youth participation in baseball and softball.

But being the face of the Royals Literacy League is important to Witt because it’s important to the Royals.

He considers the organization family and Kansas City home.

“I know I’m going to be here for a while,” Witt said. “You want to help in the areas where you are. I’ve talked to George Brett a lot about it: You want to make a home base and see these faces and get yourself familiarized with people, get to know more and more people.”

Player involvement is how the Royals Literacy League goes from a program investing resources into schools to investing support and connection, too.

“It’s really about making connections with students, making sure that they know people outside their classroom and school and community are cheering them on,” Royals senior director of community impact Amy Gale said. “Just like they’re cheering the Royals on at the ballpark, Royals players are cheering them on in the classroom.”

Ransom sees the impact that Witt’s involvement with her classroom has on her students, from the Bobby Breath to improvements in writing because of “Dear Bobby” journals that allow students to tell Witt about what they’re learning in the classroom. 

A “BWJ Scoreboard” hangs in Ransom’s classroom as a way to highlight students’ work, and on the wall outside the door of the classroom is a “BWJ Approved” board for students to get recognized.

“The students really believe and really know that Bobby genuinely cares about them and wants to see them do well,” Ransom said. “He’s checking in. He’s asking how they’re doing. To laser in on one class, one teacher, and say, ‘I’m not going away, I’m with you, and I’m cheering you on and rooting for you, and I’m expecting great things from you because I know you’re capable of excellence,’ -- that’s the energy Bobby gives to my classroom. 

“The fact that he lives it out for himself on that diamond and then the ways in which he supports and uplifts and gives back to the community really speaks to the caliber and type of human being that he is.”

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