Little League Teammates Reunite as Both Reach Pro Baseball

When Scott Bandura stepped onto a Major League Baseball field for the first time this week, one of his biggest fans was already in the stands.

Mo'ne Davis made the trip to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to watch her longtime friend play for the Giants. The two haven't just been teammates. They've been family.

Their story started in 2008 on a South Philadelphia baseball field. Steve Bandura, Scott's father and youth baseball coach, noticed a 7-year-old girl competing with the boys in the outfield. He invited Mo'ne Davis to join his team. Her mother called, and Davis showed up to practice that Tuesday.

"She's been with the squad ever since," Steve said.

Davis and Scott grew up playing baseball, basketball, and soccer together. In 2014, they led Philadelphia's Taney Dragons to the Little League World Series semifinals. Davis made history as the first girl to earn a win and throw a shutout in the tournament, while Bandura caught for her and batted leadoff.

Their bond grew even stronger off the field. After Davis' family moved to New Jersey, she moved into the Bandura home to continue attending school in Philadelphia. She lived there for about five years, sleeping in Scott's sister's old bedroom.

"She's like our daughter and like Scott's sister," Steve said.

Sunny's Take

This is what makes sports beautiful. While Davis and Bandura took different paths, they never stopped supporting each other. Davis played softball at Hampton University before joining the Women's Professional Baseball League. Bandura went to Princeton, got drafted by the Giants in 2023, and climbed through the minor leagues.

When Bandura got called up to the majors on Sunday, Davis celebrated on Instagram with a simple message: "My brother is a Giant. Go be great!"

Tuesday's reunion happened by perfect coincidence. Davis was in nearby Springfield, Illinois, for the WPBL Championship Series. So she drove to St. Louis to watch her childhood friend live out their shared dream.

Earlier this year, another lucky moment brought them together. Davis threw out the first pitch at a minor league game where Bandura happened to be playing. Naturally, he came out of the visiting dugout to catch it.

Steve remembers what made that Little League team special. "They never got too high when they won and never got too low when they lost," he said. That same spirit has carried both players through their professional careers.

Now, 12 years after captivating the baseball world together, Davis sat in the stands at Busch Stadium watching Bandura play under the bright lights of the majors. Two kids from South Philadelphia, both still chasing the same dream, just on different fields.

"Just always being there for each other," Davis said.