JACKSON, NJ — Is a future Aaron Judge or Derek Jeter living right here in Jackson? Only time will tell.
Out of more than 46,000 participants across the country, 10-year-old Garin Fisher of Jackson, NJ, emerged victorious in the 2024 Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run (PHR) national finals, held on October 27 at Dodger Stadium during the World Series.
Fisher, competing in the Baseball 9/10-year-old division, clinched the title in a tightly contested showdown against five other finalists on one of baseball’s most storied stages. The competition, which measures accuracy, power, and speed in baseball skills, selects participants through local, regional, and national qualifiers, with only 1% of entrants advancing to the finals.
Garin’s journey began in June at his local Jackson Little League event, where he advanced to the regional competition at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia in September. He secured his spot in the finals with an impressive score of 1220, tying him for the top spot nationally with Kansas City Royals representative Mason Fortman.
The finalists, representing teams from across the United States and Puerto Rico, were honored at Game 2 of the World Series, where they were celebrated on the jumbo screen during the fifth inning.
“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Garin said of his experience, which included attending the game with his father and witnessing the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the New York Yankees 4-2 in a thrilling matchup.
The victory marked a high point in Garin’s budding baseball career, which began at age 5 in Jackson Little League and has included success with both Little League All-Star teams and travel teams like PRD East Coast Ghost. His national championship adds to a legacy of excellence in the Fisher family; his younger brother Gage was a PHR finalist in 2023, finishing second in the nation in the 7/8-year-old division.
On a day that saw Garin cement his place among the sport’s rising stars, the Dodgers would go on to win the World Series days later, but for one young athlete from New Jersey, the trip to Dodger Stadium will be a lifelong highlight.
Jackson Township Council President Jennifer Kuhn congratulated Garin on his achievement.
“It’s great to see our residents shining on the national stage,” she said. “Garin put in the hard work and it paid off, he’s made us all proud here in Jackson.”
Nobody wanted to comment on the outcome of the World Series for this article.