Brandon Laird was on his way back to the clubhouse after practice on Saturday when he spotted a young boy looking down on him from the stands. The boy wore a yellow shirt and black-rimmed glasses and a baseball glove covered one of his hands. He offered a small wave as Laird looked up and noticed him.
From Laird's position, he could read the white letters on the underside of the brim of the boy's hat. It read "Laird 5."
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters third baseman stopped and exchanged a brief greeting with the child before heading through the door at Zozo Marine Field in Chiba. He was back a few minutes later, clutching a bat he later passed through the net to the woman the child stood with, and thanked the boy for cheering for him.