PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If he weren’t hitting homers at Citizens Bank Park, Kyle Schwarber says he would have probably become a police officer, like his dad, who’s now a retired police chief. In fact, Schwarber comes from a whole family of first responders. His mom was a police dispatcher and nurse, and his sister retired from the military and is now a police officer in the Ohio town where he grew up.
That’s why, he tells KYW Newsradio, he and his wife Paige founded Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes.
“I would always ask on long road trips and hear stories. And obviously you hear all the funny ones, but then every once in a while you kind of get the serious ones … and you kind of start putting two and two together,” said the Phillies slugger, known for his bombastic home runs.
“You meet families who weren’t as lucky as I am, where the spouse hasn’t come home.”
The Schwarbers are honoring first responders this week with two events — a block party and a field day. The 2nd Annual Schwarber’s Block Party is Wednesday, at Yards Brewing Company (500 Spring Garden Street). Limited tickets are available. Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes Field Day, on Thursday, at Citizens Bank Park.
Both events are fundraisers to support of organizations that help police, fire, EMT and military families.
Beneficiaries include the Philadelphia Fire Department Foundation, Philadelphia Police Foundation, Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation, Team Foster, TAPS and USO Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
“You are creating an impact on someone [for whom] you might not know how big it could be. For us, you are trying to do anything you can to put a smile on a face, or anything — just make sure they are having a good time,” Schwarber said.
“You hope that that made their day, that that made their week. That’s kind of what you are going around with. And then, you never know — years down the line, you could run into an individual and they could say, hey, they had this experience with you and you could be one of the highlights of their young life.”
Schwarber says it’s important for him to be involved and connected in the community.
“Us, as baseball players — a lot of people just kind of see us on the field. And you want to kind of embed yourself wherever you are at, right? And where you can kind of attach yourself to your community and your city and things that can be important to you,” he said.
“Hopefully we are in Philadelphia for many more years to come and we can keep creating change ... and impacting a lot of different people. ... What we are looking to do — even when the baseball is done — is to keep our family foundation around for a long time to come.”