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Kris Bryant shared a cool moment with his dad after Fenway Park home run

Chicago Cubs slugger Kris Bryant is not a fan of bat flips, but don’t think he’s void of emotion on the field either.

Playing in his first career game at Fenway Park on Friday, Bryant showed some of that emotion after launching a 449-foot home run that easily cleared the Green Monster in the first inning.

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As he neared home plate, Bryant spotted his father, Mike Bryant, in the stands. With a quick point, he acknowledged his father and seemingly went about his business. But that trip around the bases and that split-second acknowledgement stirred emotions inside both men and meant more to Kris than just about any other he’s experienced in baseball.

“That’s probably the only time I’ve ever actually seen my family in the stands,” Bryant said after the game. “I was like, ‘Oh, there he is. Proud dad.’

“It was probably one of my favorite home runs, considering my family is from this area and my dad [was drafted by the Red Sox] and all that,” Bryant said. “It felt really good.”

Bryant added that he spotted his father not because he was wearing Cubs colors, but because he was jumping up and down next to his aisle seat and amid a sea of Red Sox fans.

Kris Bryant points to his father after homering in his first career at-bat at Fenway Park. (MLB.TV)
Kris Bryant points to his father after homering in his first career at-bat at Fenway Park. (MLB.TV)

Mike Bryant’s professional career obviously didn’t go as well as his son’s, but he still played an integral role in Kris’ development. That included passing on lessons he learned from Hall of Famer Ted Williams, who served as an instructor during his time in the Red Sox system.

“Kris’ season verified what Ted was teaching,” Mike Bryant told the Chicago Tribune this week. “Some baseball people still are fighting it, which is childish and stupid. For 20 years, guys have been saying to try to get spin on top of the ball.”

In some ways, his son’s home run may have felt like a full-circle moment for Mike Bryant. He never got his moment at Fenway Park, but seeing Kris round those bases undoubtedly brought him more joy than if he’d done it himself.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!