ZOINKS! Gunnar shows off Scooby-Doo bat, impression at Home Run Derby
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ARLINGTON -- Gunnar Henderson might not have advanced past the first round of the 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday night, but a national TV audience got to find out that the Orioles’ 23-year-old phenom may have a future as an impressionist after baseball.
Prior to hitting 11 homers in his Derby debut at Globe Life Field, Henderson broke out his spot-on Scooby-Doo impression during his on-field ESPN interview shortly before the start of the event. The reason? He was using a custom Scooby-Doo bat painted the blue, green and orange colors of the Mystery Machine and featuring the word “ZOINKS!”
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Henderson’s impressions went viral earlier this season in an episode of “The Chill,” an Orioles-produced show in which several players sit down and discuss just about anything and everything. Not only did he impersonate Scooby-Doo, but he also revealed that he can do an incredible impression of much-maligned Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks.
The Home Run Derby is all about having fun, and Henderson clearly did that.
However, Henderson couldn’t quite advance to the second round. In the first, all eight hitters went individually, with the four who hit the most advancing to the seeded semifinals.
The Phillies’ Alec Bohm (21), the Guardians' José Ramírez (21), the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. (20) and the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández (19) moved on.
It will still be a memorable experience for Henderson, who is also a first-time All-Star and will be starting at shortstop for the American League in Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic. He’ll be joined by Baltimore teammates Corbin Burnes, Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Jordan Westburg.
Rutschman, Santander and Westburg were on the field for the Home Run Derby to cheer on Henderson, with Westburg holding up an orange rally towel that read “Gunnar” when Henderson was introduced prior to the start of the event. Burnes (the AL’s starting pitcher) hadn’t yet arrived in Arlington because he was spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters.