{"id":48744,"date":"2025-05-16T08:44:41","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T08:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48744"},"modified":"2025-05-16T08:44:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T08:44:41","slug":"max-muncy-hits-a-home-run-with-young-readers-on-and-off-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48744","title":{"rendered":"Max Muncy hits a home run with young readers on and off the field"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Muncy with students from Gabriella Charter (Los Angeles Dodgers \/ Gary Vasquez)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

by Erin Edwards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second graders from Gabriella Charter Schools in Echo Park and South Los Angeles got an unforgettable visit from Dodgers infielder Max Muncy on Wednesday as part of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodgers Foundation\u2019s LA Reads initiative.<\/p>\n

More than 70 students gathered in their school dance room and listened intently as Muncy read a childrens books aloud, sparking smiles and curiosity in every corner of the room.<\/p>\n

Through a generous $14,000 grant from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), in partnership with Robin and Andrew Friedman, both Gabriella campuses will soon see their outdoor spaces transformed into Dodgers Foundation Community Reading Gardens. The schools also received 880 new books \u2014 including one for every student to take home and begin building their own library.<\/p>\n

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But the magic didn\u2019t end with the book. The kids came prepared with questions of their own, turning the morning into a lively, heartfelt conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your favorite snack after a game?\u201d one student asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho\u2019s the most famous person you know?\u201d asked another.<\/p>\n

From naming recess games he loved as a kid to sharing what it was like playing baseball in Japan, Muncy reminded everyone that big league dreams start in small classrooms just like theirs.<\/p>\n

When one student said, \u201cI want to be a Dodger one day \u2014 what should I do to make that dream come true?\u201d Muncy\u2019s answer was simple:\u00a0\u201cWork hard, have fun, and always believe in yourself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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Fittingly, later that night, Muncy capped off the day with a moment straight out of a storybook \u2014 launching a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to help lead the Dodgers to a 9\u20133 victory over the Athletics.<\/p>\n

LA Reads continues to inspire the next generation of champions \u2014 on the field and in the classroom. Learn more and sign up for Dodgers Reading Champions at\u00a0Dodgers.com\/LAReads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n

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Muncy with students from Gabriella Charter (Los Angeles Dodgers \/ Gary Vasquez) by Erin Edwards Second graders from Gabriella Charter Schools in Echo Park and South Los… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nMax Muncy hits a home run with young readers on and off the field - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=48744\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Max Muncy hits a home run with young readers on and off the field - 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