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Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant are familiar with each other's game. The two are only one year apart and grew up in Las Vegas, dominating the youth baseball scene as youngsters.
When he was younger, Bryant's nickname was "Silk," because of how smooth he was on the field. He played 3B, shortstop, OF, pitched, and was a menace at the plate.
Bryant saw Harper in the same light and knew he would have a chance to play this sport for a living. In 2015, he recounted a time when he faced Harper as a nine-year-old that still sits with him to this day:
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"He was unbelievable. I really remember him as a pitcher and not wanting to face him just because he threw so hard. But he did everything well. Behind the plate, I thought he was a really good catcher, he hit a lot of home runs, and we have a lot of good memories together."
Bryant remembers Harper used to terrorize him and others on the mound with his hard velocity. Aside from that, Harper was also good behind the plate, which is where some insiders thought he would stick in the MLB. He said:
"He probably didn't want to face me because I had no idea where [the pitch] was going at nine-years-old. At 9 and 10-years-old I threw pretty hard but I had no idea where it was going so nobody really wanted to face me at that time."
Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant have made their city proud
It did not take long for either slugger to turn heads in the big leagues when they got their shot. In 2015, Bryce Harper won the NL MVP Award while Kris Bryant won it the following year.
After that, the former mayor of Las Vegas presented both athletes with a key to the city. That is the ultimate award given to any athlete as they are now the defacto role models in their hometown.
Both Harper and Bryant frequent their hometown as much as they can. Both sluggers have often been spotted at T-Mobile Arena, taking in the action of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. They have also made numerous donations to the city in response to the 2017 shooting.
It is not often that two childhood friends chase the same dream of playing in the MLB and make it. That shows the elite skill set and motivation that these two carry.
