Have you ever been told that you look like somebody famous, and that the resemblance is so dead-on that people do double-takes, and make reference to it, wherever you go?
That’s what’s happening for a little league baseball player in Muskegon, Mich.
JJ Hicks is only 9 years old, but many think he’s the spitting-image of a 34-year-old Major League Baseball slugger who plays for the Detroit Tigers.
Miguel Cabrera.
“When I attended JJ’s games, I’d hear people whispering about how much he looks like Miguel Cabrera,” said Melinda Theiste, JJ’s mother. “It just went on and on, and more and more and more people kept saying how much he looked like him.”
JJ has been playing baseball in the East Muskegon Little League since he was 4, but the references to his likeness to Cabrera didn’t start until he was 7.
“My mother had a photo of me next to a photo of Miguel Cabrera and I look a lot like him,” said Hicks, who plays third base for his team. “I just wish I could hit home runs like him.”
Theiste put the side-by-side photo of JJ and Cabrera on her Facebook page and the post blew up with several comments and likes.
“The response has been overwhelming and fun for all of us,” added Theiste. “JJ became known as ‘Little Miggy’ by many of the people who come and watch his games.”
Each time JJ comes to the plate for an at-bat, the fans in the stands scream, “Let’s go, Little Miggy; get a hit, Little Miggy.”
JJ not only looks like Migual Cabrera, he’s obsessed with him.
“He has a pretty strict bedtime of 8:30 every night, so he isn’t able to stay up and watch complete Tigers games,” said Thieste. “But he’s come up with an alternative way to see Cabrera play.
“JJ will come home from school, or from playing outside, and immediately get on the computer and watch YouTube videos of Cabrera.
“He really enjoys watching him and seeing him bat.
“If I check the ‘history’ on his computer, I can pretty much guarantee it’s all Miguel Cabrera.”
JJ tends to goof around a lot while he plays, much like Cabrera does.
“I don’t always pay attention, and will occasionally start singing songs,” said Hicks. “I like to play jokes on my team mates, too, just like Miguel does.”
JJ is hoping that one day he can replace the side-by-side photo of him and Miguel Cabrera with a real picture of the pair.
“He really, really, really wants to meet him,” said Theiste. “He would think it was the best thing in the whole world.”
JJ says if he ever got the chance to meet Miguel Cabrera, he’d ask him for a hitting lesson, but if that can’t happen, he’d just like to play catch on the Comerica Park field with him.
“He hits a lot of home runs, and I’d like to learn how to do that,” said Hicks. “I’d like to just hang out with him, too, but that’s probably wishing for too much.”
JJ’s little league season ends June 23, so the “Little Miggy” cheers will come to an end for another year. He still hopes to attend his first Major League game at some point, and maybe, just maybe get a chance to meet his twin – Miguel Cabrera.
“Yea, I’d be fine with that,” said Hicks.
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