Yankees 1B Anthony Rizzo might be a five-tool player, but baseball isn’t the only trick in his pocket. The four-time Gold Glove winner has had a long history of surviving many of life’s adversities. And his wife, Emily, has been the ultimate supporter in all his endeavors. Today, Emily, along with another Yankees spouse, Samantha, Aaron Judge’s wife, appeared in the TCS 2023 New York City Marathon. And what a spectacle it was!
Both Anthony and Aaron were seen there by the sidelines, teammates off the field too. The TCS Marathon, undoubtedly one of the biggest marathon events held around the world, saw a gathering of 50,000 runners. Among them were Emily and Samantha, running for two very different but beautiful causes. Celebrating the marathon’s success at an afterparty, Rizzo, who struggled at the plate in 2023, showed off one of his lesser-known skills!
From base to bass, Anthony Rizzo is in the house!
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Anthony Rizzo was seen spinning at a DJ desk at an afterparty for the marathon. Prior to the marathon, the slugger was very clear about how he wanted it to end: “Hopefully on race day I’ll just help with some good signs and a good party afterward,”, he said to the NY Post earlier in October. And boy, did he end it with a bang! Spin away, DJ Rizz!
DJ Rizzo! someone’s been enjoying marathon day 🤣🍻🎤🎧 pic.twitter.com/AJOb8yzuN6
— Sammy B (@sammybee_9) November 6, 2023
Emily Rizzo, honoring her husband, was there to support the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. The Yankees first baseman is a long-time cancer survivor. A few months after the Red Sox drafted him in 2008, he received a diagnosis of limited-state classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Rizzo didn’t just survive it; he wanted to build a platform where he could support the children fighting against cancer.
Samantha Bracksieck, meanwhile, ran to support Kulture City, an NGO that provides sensory-inclusive training for staff at different venues. This was Emily’s first marathon, and Samantha was very supportive of it. In Emily’s words, “I have gone to her throughout this entire process and asked her a gazillion questions about what the day [of] looks like, what I should be wearing, what headphones, what her training looks like,” she reminisced.
“We’ve ran together as well, and she’s really been a support system for me and given me a lot of good experience advice.”
Running as your breath leaves you in spurts of exhaustion has a special way of bringing people together.
The marathon magnanimity
The TCS NYC Marathon turned 52 this year. 50,000 runners—common people, celebrities, athletes, and people from all over the world—took part in running the 26.2-mile run, all for a good cause. It receives almost 100,000 applicants each year, and over two million spectators gather to watch it unfold. The event uses the money gathered from food, lodging, and other expenses to support the causes of its participants. According to an Audience Research and Analysis report, the TCS marathon garnered around $427 million in 2021.
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Apparently, Emily was quite nervous to appear for the event. The woman is an athlete herself; she runs almost every day whenever she can manage her time. Emily also revealed how she and Anthony love to run around exploring new cities during their tours. She said, “It’s just a way to get out of your own head sometimes and a way to escape reality.” Both Samantha and Anthony have been very supportive of Emily’s debut in the marathon scene for a cause that is really close to the Rizzos’ hearts.
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Events like this remind us how far baseball reaches beyond the limits of its court. Fans will never have enough of seeing their favorite sluggers and their families put in their support for more humanitarian causes to make them come true. Long live baseball!
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