Jose Alvarado Hosts Young Phillies Fan Who Went Viral
Last week, Princeton Bailey stole the hearts of Phillies fans. Jose Alvarado was in quite the pickle. It was bases loaded, no outs, while the Phillies clung to a 1…
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 02: José Alvarado #46 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a game at Citizens Bank Park on May 02, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)Last week, Princeton Bailey stole the hearts of Phillies fans. Jose Alvarado was in quite the pickle. It was bases loaded, no outs, while the Phillies clung to a 1 run lead. Alvarado worked his magic and got out of it without allowing a run. 3 straight strikeouts to strand the runners and end the inning. What Alvarado did not know was that he was getting help from the stands.
During the tense showdown between Alvarado and the Nationals hitters, the cameras caught something else. 12-year-old Prince Bailey, in the stands, imitating Alvarado's windup.
The clip instantly went viral. It was not until the next morning, thanks to a great piece by Alex Coffey, that we learned more about who Prince Bailey was.
It turns out Prince is on the spectrum and shy by nature. But as his grandfather Troy told Alex Coffey, sports brings out the extrovert in Prince. Whether it is mimicking Jalen Hurts at Eagles games, or Alvarado at Phillies games. Sports let Prince express himself. A piece of information that made what was already a cool clip even cooler.
But it was not just Phillies fans who were won over by Prince. Jose Alvarado himself saw the clip and knew he had to meet Prince. Which is exactly what he did. Through his agent, Alvarado was able to extend the invitation to Prince and his grandfather, Troy, get them back to the ballpark, and meet the young kid who helped him shut down the Nationals.
Jose Alvarado met Prince on the field, where he thanked him for the good vibes and gave him quite the care package. It included one of Alvarado's homemade necklaces and a signed jersey with a special inscription.
“Princeton, thank you so much for your good vibes. I felt them all the way from the stands, and I hope they keep following me throughout the season. truly appreciate it. Let's keep going. We will never give up."
This is what sports are all about. Props to the Phillies and Jose Alvarado for this great deed. To Alex Coffey for covering the story so well. Go read her story linked above if you have not done so. And props to Prince Bailey for stealing our hearts. It is nice to see him get rewarded after he made the rest of the city so happy. A feel good story all around.
