Watch Bartolo Colon’s Home Run Get ‘The Natural’ Treatment
Bobby Thomson’s “Shot heard ’round the world.” Carlton Fisk waving it fair in the World Series. Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit dinger in ’88.
They are some of the most iconic home runs in Major League Baseball history, yet none of them ever received a Hollywood makeover quite like Bartolo Colon’s blast – which left San Diego’s Petco Park this past weekend, and earned the portly pitcher a spot in the MLB record book as the oldest player to hit his first career home run.
A new video, created by an editor (and Mets fan) named Mark Evans, pairs Colon’s homer with Robert Redford’s famous round-tripper in 1984’s The Natural, and while no sparks showered the field when the Mets’ ageless hurler circled the bases, the whole thing is a note-perfect tribute to what will surely be one of the highlights of the 2016 season. And, hey, at least they didn’t have to use slo-mo during his home run trot.
The 42-year-old Colon, a former Cy Young winner in the American League, has become beloved by Mets fans during his two-plus seasons with the team, thanks in no small part to his incredible durability, expansive girth and a penchant for coming out of his shoes (and his batting helmet) each time he takes a rip at the plate.
On Saturday, Bart – or “Big Sexy” – finally connected, going deep off the Padres’ James Shields (who was none too happy about it) for his first career home run. The clip of him chugging around the bases while his teammates freaked out, and comically emptied the dugout, quickly (and justifiably) became a viral sensation soon after. Now, it has a fitting big-screen tribute, too.