Hit MLB-high 48th HR? Meet Coach Shanahan
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DENVER -- The most successful coach in Broncos history was in attendance at Coors Field on Tuesday night, saving his heartiest congratulations for a player from New York, not Colorado.
After Pete Alonso crushed a 467-foot home run and returned to the dugout in the sixth inning of New York's 6-1 win, Mike Shanahan leaned over from his seat to shake Alonso’s hand and briefly speak with him.
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“Hey, I’m Mike Shanahan,” he said, as Alonso recalled the conversation.
“Yeah, I know who you are,” Alonso replied. “My dad raised me right.”
Shanahan then complimented Alonso on his standout rookie season, which he added to Tuesday with his 48th home run and 110th and 111th RBIs.
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Although Alonso grew up a Buccaneers fan in the Tampa area, he holds plenty of respect for Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls while coaching the Broncos from 1995-2008. Alonso credits his father, Peter, with both his love for, and knowledge, of football.
“My dad’s a big football guy,” Alonso said. “He grew up playing football. He played college football. When I was playing football, he made sure I knew who certain people were, and [Shanahan] is definitely one of those guys.”