And one after another, major league teams responded, along with minor league teams and other individuals who wanted to help.
“Hey Loren, we got a package with your name on it on the way!” wrote the Tampa Bay Rays. “We’ve got a Padres pack on its way for Loren — including an autographed Mark McGwire baseball,” the San Diego Padres said.
The collective responses appear to have the makings of a world-class memorabilia collection for the fire survivor.
Prior to the outpouring of support, Loren’s dad, Tait Smith, told ABC 7 that it “breaks my heart just that he is not going to be back here screaming and yelling home runs that he hit over the fence with the whiffle ball to the neighbors.” The news piece shows the father and son throwing and batting in the backyard of their burned home.
The A’s say they are working with other Bay Area teams on disaster relief efforts, committing a total of $450,000.
Here are some of the many MLB responses to the A’s callout: