Tigers Nike RBI team draws energy from memory of beloved teammate

When the Tigers Nike RBI team does a backflip after a win, it represents more than just a celebration of winning a game. It’s a dedication to their fallen teammate Dennell “Nelly” Kemp.

“Last year, Nelly did that when we beat Cleveland to prevent them from going to the championship game,” said Matthew Williams, the head coach of the Tigers Nike RBI baseball team and the Community Impact manager for the Tigers. “We have some rivalries in the Midwest, and that was one memory that we want to carry on from game to game.”

Backflips are one way in which the team honors 18-year-old Kemp, who was fatally shot at a stoplight in southwest Detroit in September 2023. He was described as “one of the greatest from Ecorse, Michigan.”

Along with the celebratory backflips, the team dons decals with “DK #1” on their helmets and hats. Others also have it written on their bats. Wearing his initials and number is a reminder of the energy he would give his team. The Tigers found other little ways to represent their teammate throughout the 2024 Nike RBI World Series, which concluded last week in Vero Beach, Fla.

“This feels bigger than a state championship,” said pitcher Asante Parker. “It’s for our hometown of Detroit, and we’re playing for Nelly, so it means a lot to us.”

Kemp’s impact on the team will not be soon forgotten, as leaders of the Tigers Nike RBI program decided to give him the highest honor: retiring his number in the program.

“His spirit is always going to be with us, and that’s why I feel like we bring that energy day in and day out,” Williams said.

Kemp’s talents shined on the diamond as a southpaw who could throw 90 mph. He would also make sure to bring out the best of his teammates. Kemp would constantly challenge his friends no matter what position they played or who they played against.

“If he was here right now, he would be playing his best. Nelly is one of the best players I’ve ever seen play,” said Parker. “We used to bet each other all the time who would get the most hits, stuff like that, who would get the most throws from the outfield because we used to play outfield.”

Kemp was dubbed as the “All-American” excelling in baseball, basketball and football at Ecorse High School. He boasted the resume of a triple-sport athlete but committed to playing baseball at Mississippi Valley State.

Tigers Nike RBI allowed for the memories of their friend to fuel their campaign in search of a championship title. They fell short of that goal, but they had a solid tournament; they were beaten in the semifinals by Chicago, 6-1 in a single-elimination round.

“We use him as motivation because we know if he was here right now at this moment, he would bring so much energy to us,” said left fielder Chris Woods. “He was always hyping it up and everything. And when we think about Nelly it’s like, 'Dang, we miss him.’ We use that as fuel, because what he would be doing out here is the same thing he would want us to be doing: winning ballgames.”