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Little League player comforts distraught pitcher whose errant throw hit him in the head

An unforgettable moment.

Photo by Jordan Rowland on Unsplash

A viral video from a Little League game has people celebrating good sportsmanship.

Youth sports have gotten more intensely competitive, to the point where overeager parents and coaches have to regularly be reminded to take it down a notch. So when humanity takes precedence over team rivalries, it's extra heartwarming.

And considering how many "kids these days" laments we see coming from older generations, it's also heartening to see kids showing excellent character qualities when no one directly asked them to.

A viral video from a Little League baseball game is giving us a nice dose of both—good sportsmanship and basic human kindness from two players from opposing teams.

As reported by USA Today, Isaiah (Zay) Jarvis, a batter from Oklahoma, took a pitch from Texas East pitcher Kaiden Shelton right to the side of his helmet. It was a hard blow that caused Jarvis to spin around and crumble to the ground, grabbing his head. The replay in slow motion shows that the ball basically just knocked his helmet off, though it was undoubtedly jarring and probably painful as well.

Jarvis was able to continue playing, but Shelton was shaken up. No matter how fierce the competition, no one wants to be responsible for injuring another person. He was visibly upset on the mound, so Jarvis left first base and approached him.

Watch the classy interchange:

That a kid this age would approach a player who hit him with a ball and comfort him with a hug, especially knowing that all eyes were on him, is just so lovely. Someone raised this young man to put people's feelings ahead of competitiveness and not worry about what others might think.

And the fact that the pitcher was so distraught at the possibility of having hurt someone is also so sweet. This was a moment that showed the true character of both of these boys, and both of them exemplified caring and compassion.

People praised the boys' empathy and humanity.

"Both of those boys are what you want your kids to aspire to," wrote one commenter. "One willing to forgive and knows it wasn't intentional and the other showing remorse and sorrow. I love it!!"

Good sportsmanship all around. Love to see it. Big kudos to these kiddos and whoever raised them.


This article originally appeared on 8.10.22

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Internet

Man's dance moves are so incredibly fluid that people don't think he's a real person

Some people are speculating he's somehow computer generated. He's real.

Maikon Alves|Instagram

Man's dance moves are so smooth people don't think he's real

The human body is amazing. People that have figured out a way to command their body to do reality defying acts are just as fascinating. There's nothing quite like watching someone feel them music, moving so smoothly from one movement to the next while they dance.

Dancing can be a beautiful expression of art and creativity, connecting people through music and movement without even speaking the same language. One dancer from Brazil is turning heads on social media with moves so fluid and robotic that people are questioning if he's human. Maikon Alves uploaded a video recently of him dancing to "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

To say his dance moves are impressive would be an understatement. Alves pops his chest to the beat while slowly stepping in place making it look like he's gliding from move to move. Some movements are crisp and sharp like a robot while others are so fluid it's nearly unbelievable that it could be coming from a human.

While the man's moves do look slightly out of this world, he is indeed a real person, or at least he appears to be in other videos on his page. Commenters ranged between being in awe of his abilities and questioning if he was human.

"Loved. I like how everything is in sync - from the music to the moves to face expressions. 👏👏👏 and your cool personal style," one person writes.

"Doesn’t even look real it’s that good..!! Love this," someone says.

"You will be the dance instructor for the children of our AI overlords someday," a commenter thinks.

"Nah, this is God-level pop-locking," someone compliments.

Even Nicole Scherzinger, actress, singer and former member of the pop group and dance ensemble, Pussycat Dolls gave Alves praise saying, "you are a legend!" Watch his reality defying moves for yourself.

This article originally appeared 3.3.24

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dancing man
Family

The way this 2-year-old runs her 'diner' has millions of people coming back for more

Welcome to Willow's Diner, where you order a cookie and get broccoli with a side of sass.

@sarah2themax/TikTok

Willow's Diner has become a huge hit on TikTok.

Two-year-olds are the best. Hands down. People like to complain about the "terrible twos," and yes, there are challenges that arise as a child starts to recognize that they have free will. But there is nothing cuter than a conversation with a tiny human who's only been on this planet for a couple of years. The way toddlers think, the way they speak—it's just nonstop hilarity.

And when we you get a particularly funny 2-year-old? Seriously, the best improv on Earth.

That's why one mom's TikToks of her daughter Willow serving patrons at her little outdoor diner are bringing entertainment to millions.

Willow's "patrons" are primarily her mom Sarah and her three siblings. Her outdoor "diner" is her toy kitchen on the porch with fake food. And the service is … well, you just have to see it.

Willow calls her patrons "ma'am," no matter what their gender, which is adorable. And her facial expressions. Oh my gosh. She's like a semi-grumpy, middle-aged diner lady who's seen it all and has no patience for your foolishness.

Just watch what happens when this "ma'am" tries to order the cookie she's eating:

@saruh2themax

I got put on a strict diet due to my audacity. #willowpenelope #willowsdiner #cute #funnytoddler

"That's mines. I have broccoli. There you go, ma'am," all while continuing to eat the cookie. Totally savage.

Check out how she serves—or doesn't—her brother, Jack:

@saruh2themax

Today at Willow’s Diner: The bonds of family are tested. #willowpenelope #willowsdiner #jackattack

"I don't know what her rules are!" was the best line. Nobody knows what a 2-year-old's rules are. Not even the 2-year-old herself. And Willow's "Can you be the ma'am?" after Jack gave up trying to get his food? Classic.

(Arbitrarily being denied service at Willow's Diner is not unusual, by the way. There's even clever merch that says "I didn't get served at Willow's Diner.")

Does Willow serve rocks at her diner? Sure, why not? As long as she keeps making those faces, she can serve anything she pleases.

@saruh2themax

That time she successfully upsold me on a rock… #willowsdiner #willowpenelope

Just don't mess with her tea-making process. Like, at all.

@saruh2themax

Willow’s diner. Now serving chocolate milk tea! #willowpenelope

And definitely don't try to serve her some tea.

@saruh2themax

Replying to @suppgorjess She tolerates me being the waitress for approximately 2 seconds and no more.

It's the unbroken eye contact, right? You can't train this kind of comedy into a kid.

The thing about 2-year-olds is they're only that age for a short spell. The tyrannical threes and the fascist fours, with all of their complex adorableness, are coming fast, so it's wise of this mom to frequent Willow's Diner—and document the experience—while 2-year-old Willow is still in business.


This article originally appeared on 1.10.23

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toddler comedy
Joy

Chatty animals get 'interviewed' with a teeny tiny microphone, and boy is it entertaining

Here to answer all your burning questions, such as "may I touch your snoot?"

YouTube

Freya from Maya Higa's YouTube video.

Ever wonder what an ideal date for a lemur would be? Or a lizard’s favorite Disney princess?

Thanks to one YouTube poster with a passion for animals and an endearing sense of humor, all questions shall be answered. Well, maybe not all questions. But at the very least, you’ll have eight minutes of insanely cute footage.

In a series titled “Tiny Mic Interviews,” Maya Higa approaches little beasties with a microphone so small she has to hold it with just her thumb and forefinger. And yes, 99% of the animals try to eat it.

There’s Ginger, the pig with a lot of stored up resentment toward the big bad wolf. She ain’t afraid to talk about it, either. Or so her passionate snorts would indicate.

Then there’s Brazilian porcupine Boris (at least, I think that’s what Boris is after Googling, I’m no zoologist), who is asked to name his favorite food. For the record, it’s corn. And no, you may not touch his snoot.

Godzilla, the itsy bitsy turtle that fits into one hand, gets asked, ironically, “what’s it like being land’s fastest animal?” Though Godzilla remains stoically silent, an image of super cool speedster sunglasses gets superimposed onto his face, along with the words “I am speed.”

The best part to me is a bird, aptly named Giggles, gloriously laughing at a cheesy joke. In fact, here’s a nod to all the birds with impeccable names in this video.

Mordecai, Costello, Bartholomew (these include stars from Higa's first interview) … I’m looking at you.

Though these critters provide some top notch entertainment, there’s plenty of valuable information being thrown into the mix as well.

All the exotic “interviewees” are part of Zoo To You Conservation Ambassadors, a permitted facility in California, Higa informs her viewers. Rescued or surrendered from the illegal pet trade, or permanently injured, these animals receive permanent care and become a part of Zoo To You’s education program. Pretty sweet gig, right?

Higa herself is a wildlife rehabilitator, falconer and streamer who focuses a lot of her content on conservation. Though her online persona veers toward the upbeat and positive, she isn’t afraid to shed light on some darker facts around certain threats many species face.

"The natural world that these animals come from is being absolutely decimated,” Higa states in another video. “The UN estimates that over one million plant and animal species face extinction today. Pollution, habitat loss, climate change, the wildlife trade, exploitation, general human intervention…is causing us to lose species at rates unprecedented in human history. We’re experiencing a mass extinction.”

Wanting to be part of the solution, Higa has founded her own nonprofit organization called Alveus, which, like Zoo To You, acts as an exotic animal sanctuary and virtual education center.

If you’d like to support Higa’s sanctuary, you can do so by donating to donate@alveussanctuary.org via PayPal.

And if you’re already jonesing for more adorable “Tiny Mic Interviews,” you’re in luck! You can find even more on Maya’s YouTube channel here.


This article originally appeared on 09.02.22

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