Erardi catches up with Ted Kremer
Former Reds batboy is keeping busy this summer
Jul. 16, 2013


Early on during an Aug. 17, 2012 home game for the Cincinnati Reds, guest Reds bat boy Ted Kremer went out to retrieve a bat. On the way back to the dugout Ted gave Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips a high five as Phillips headed to the plate. Phillips was all smiles at bat as Ted continued on his way to bat rack.

Written by
John Erardi

It's been three months since the public heard from Ted (Batboy) Kremer, but oh he has been busy.

The honorary batboy from White Oak, who has served two actual batboy stints with the Reds and has been credited by the Reds' players for inspiring them and lifting their spirits (not to mention that they won both games when he batboy'ed), will give the concluding speech Friday afternoon at the weeklong 7th Annual Project Search International Conference at the Netherland Hilton.

Project Search is a training program that places special needs students in jobs. The program began in Cincinnati.

Topps trading cards is doing a baseball card of Kremer, and on Aug. 6, an ESPN crew returns to Cincinnati to work on his E:60 feature that will air on national TV in the fall. They will shoot him swimming and horseriding, and interview him and his family.

Tuesday night, Kremer played his second-to-last softball game of the season, manning third base in a 9-4 victory.

''We start with a 1-1 count to keep the game moving - so you need to be ready to swing; just don't swing at a bad pitch,'' said Kremer, explaining his hitting approach.

He's been to several Reds games since his most recent batboy stint on April 18, including on Todd Frazier Bobblehead Night, when Frazier (Kremer's favorite player) signed the bobblehead for Kremer, and Brandon Phillips signed a poster of the iconic image by Enquirer photographer Jeff Swinger that ran in the newspaper last August and brought national attention to Kremer and Cincinnati, which is when ESPN got wind of the story.

Kremer also had a pizza party thrown for him by LaRosa's, which has been involved in promotions at Reds games involving strikeouts by Reds pitchers. So, why not? The pizzeria gave away yet more pizza to Kremer and his friends.

Kremer, 30, who has Down syndrome, works three days a week as a clerk at Hillcrest Academy in Springfield Township.

On Saturday, July 27, in Fairfield, he will throw out the celebratory "first pitch" at "Nuxie Night'' at Joe Nuxhall Miracle Field.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130...Ted-Kremer