Who was Margaret Peterson? Brandon Belt dedicates game to grandma hours after she dies
Brandon Belt, who hit two of San Francisco's four home runs, announced during an on-field interview on Giants Postgame Live that his grandma had died just hours before, news outlets reported on Tuesday, August 24. Following the news, the first baseman decided to dedicate the game, as well as the rest of the season, to her.
In other baseball news, MEAWW recently reported that Tejay Antone, on his first day back from the injured list, winced after throwing a curveball on his fifth pitch and had to return to the clubhouse during the Cincinnati Reds match against the Milwaukee Brewers on August 23. Last week, we delved inside Dell Curry's net worth amidst his divorce with Stephen Curry's mom Sonya.
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Who was Margaret Peterson?
Brandon Belt texted his wife and parents on Tuesday, hours after learning of his grandmother's death, to acknowledge he was suffering and unsure if he could play. Margaret Peterson, his grandmother, would have wanted to see him out there, his father reminded him.
"I'm a pretty private person, but I just want to dedicate this game to my grandmother, who passed away this morning," Belt said during the postgame interview. "I'm not looking for anybody to feel sorry for me. I just wanted to dedicate this game and the rest of this season to her and let everybody know that I love her so very much."
Brandon Belt describes the relationship he had with his late grandmother pic.twitter.com/3y2vw4HJId
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 25, 2021
Belt told reporters after the game that his grandparents helped fund several of his visits to showcase events in high school, which helped him earn a seat on the University of Texas team, Sports Illustrated reported. According to ESPN, Peterson died after contracting COVID-19. Belt contacted his parents and wife, saying he was struggling with the news and wasn't sure if he'd be able to play Tuesday night. His grandma would want him to "go out there and do the best" he could, according to his father.
"I think that really kind of locked me in as much as it could," he said, according to AP. “I’ve kind of been in a daze all day. I was just glad I could come out here and do that for her.” About his maternal grandmother, Belt said he shared a good relationship with her. He added: “She was always proud to brag about me to her friends."
“I couldn’t help but feel like something powerful was at play there when he hit that first home run,” said Giants manager Gabe Kapler. Belt is scheduled to leave the team for funeral ceremonies in the coming days, according to Kapler, and he will have the club's full support. “He just looked locked in,” Kapler said. “And I think that’s sort of amazing given what he experienced today.”
"But it was more what he needed. Whatever he needed, we would've done," Kapler said. "If he needed the day off, we would've put somebody in there to replace him. When you have a death in the family, you prioritize the emotional health and wellbeing of our players over that night's game."
