Garrett Mitchell’s thoughtful tribute to legendary ESPN broadcaster highlights nostalgic Little League Classic

Outside of the final score, the Little League Classic was once again a huge success. The Milwaukee Brewers were defeated by the Atlanta Braves by a score of 4-2 in Williamsport, but before a tally could be added to the loss column, a whole host of memorable moments occurred.

From the Brewers' players meeting with this year's Little League World Series participants before the game started, to honoring Hank Aaron throughout the game, to the nostalgia that inevitably arises when players are reminded of where it all began, the Little League Classic once again delivered in 2026.

However, among the many memories that were created on Sunday night, one moment stood out among the rest. In the second inning, ESPN, who was broadcasting the Little League Classic, elected to conduct an in-game interview with Brewers' outfielder Garrett Mitchell. Though in-game interviews seldom generate the type of newsworthy moments that networks are hoping they will, ESPN made the right choice by picking Mitchell for the role, as the Brewers' outfielder delivered a heartfelt tribute to long-time ESPN announcer Karl Ravech, who was stunningly let go from the network in July and was calling his final MLB game for ESPN.

Garrett Mitchell spoke for baseball fans everywhere with heartfelt appreciation for ESPN announcer Karl Ravech

At the end of his in-game interview, while jogging in from center field, Mitchell said to Ravech, "I know this is your last broadcast. I appreciate everything you’ve done for this game. I’ve been listening to you for a long time, and it’s a pleasure to share this last one with you.” Ravech responded to Mitchell by saying, "It's a pleasure sharing it with you too. I appreciate it."

Ravech was an employee of ESPN dating back to 1993 and has been a key part of the network's baseball coverage ever since. He's appeared on Baseball Tonight, SportsCenter, called games for the Little League World Series and the Korean Baseball Organization, announced the Home Run Derby, and covered postseason games for ESPN and ABC. ESPN's coverage of MLB and baseball as a whole simply will not be the same without him.

Mitchell therefore spoke for all baseball fans when, on ESPN, he acknowledged all the incredible work Ravech has done throughout his career. For now, Sunday's memorable Little League Classic serves as Ravech's final broadcast, but the baseball world is certainly hoping that another network hires Ravech so they can continue to hear him call games going forward.

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