The 2024 Little League World Series has a deeper meaning for Mexico.
It's not just a baseball tournament anymore. The team is dedicating its run to its late manager Ricky Benavides Jr.
Throughout the games, parents and fans are holding a Mexico jersey with "Benavides" on the back with the No. 90. Another jersey was seen hanging inside the team's dugout.
A Little League World Series title is always the goal, but it would mean so much more for Mexico this year.
Here's all you need to know regarding Benavides Jr. and his connection to the Mexico Little League team.
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Who is Ricky Benavides Jr.?
Benavides Jr. was a former manager for the Mexico Little League team based in Matamoros.
He died in November 2023 due to a heart attack, according to a translation on AlBat.com. He was in his early 30s at the time of his death.
Benavides Jr. wasn't just a coach for the team, but he truly cared for the kids on the roster, AlBat's translation detailed.
"His dedication and contribution to the development of young baseball talents in the Matamoros region left a significant void in the sports community, mainly for the current representation in Williamsport," the AlBat story reads.
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Why is Mexico dedicating its LLWS run to Ricky Benavides Jr.?
Benavides Jr. had a great impact on the kids he coached, so the team is dedicating its 2024 Little League World Series run to him.
Parents of the players hold a special jersey with Benavides' name on the back in the crowd, and the players have their own jersey hanging in the dugout.
Perhaps Benavides Jr. gave Mexico some good spirit as the team miraculously avoided elimination with a five-run bottom of the sixth inning against Cuba on Tuesday.
Antonio Guerrero tied the game with a two-out, three-run blast.
Mexico's Antonio Guerrero ties Cuba in the bottom of the 6th in an elimination game with a 3 run HR pic.twitter.com/siAVz3XVlm
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 20, 2024
Ulises Ortiz rocked a two-run home run moments later to walk off victorious.
MEXICO MAGIC 🇲🇽
— ESPN (@espn) August 20, 2024
WIth 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th, Mexico hit 2 homers to win 6-4‼️ #LLBWS pic.twitter.com/AYV0qobh4h
ESPN spoke with Ricardo Benavides, the father of Benavides Jr. Ricardo is in Williamsport supporting Mexico's team.
"From the moment my son passed away, I realized the love they had for Ricky," Benavides told ESPN, according to AlBat's translation. "After his death, the parents ... showed me messages that my son exchanged with his 13 children [players]. ... [The] parents told me that I am the children's grandfather."
