ROSLYN, NY — During his professional baseball playing days, Endy Chávez, most notably known for his miraculous catch in Game 7 of the 2006 National Championship Series, always made sure to give his all on the diamond.
The same goes off of it in giving back to the community and youth with any chance and opportunity that came his way.
Now, as the former 13-year MLB outfielder of Valencia, Venezuela, retiring in 2018, is still leaving an impact on the game as a coach in his homeland of Venezuela, Mexico and previously in the New York Mets’ minor league system, Chávez, a former Met from 2006-2008, has kept the same mindset of providing the youth with a helpful hand of advice and lifelong memories for the community.
Making a special appearance this past Wednesday morning to Pierce Country Day Camp located in Roslyn, New York, to visit over 1,200 campers, ranging from second to ninth grade, Chávez discussed his baseball playing career, times of struggle, what got him to where he is today through hard work and perseverance, and much more.
Over 1,200 campers ranging from the ages of 7-15 were in attendance for Endy Chávez’s special visit to Pierce Country Day Camp – Image Credit: Robert Rizzo/Latino Sports
He then took part in an interactive Q&A with campers, followed by high-fiving each youngster, posing for photos and signing autographs for the camp—all with the assistance of employees of Pierce Country Day Camp, and Peter Cappiello, the owner of COVE Sports Academy.
“I appreciate the moment and the opportunity,” Chávez said Wednesday, as all of the seven to fifteen year old campers in attendance weren’t even born at the time of when he pulled off his historic 2006 Game 7 NLCS catch at Shea Stadium, yet, still knew of him and were star struck upon his arrival.
“I mean, I feel blessed to be around all these kids in this camp.”
“This is special because they (the campers) were not even born when I made that catch. And they know me. That’s crazy. That surprised me a lot because it has happened very often. The kids, like, they almost never saw me play before, but to know who I am and what I did—it means a lot to me.”
Endy Chávez and campers of Pierce Country Day Camp during Chávez’s interactive Q&A – Image Credit: Robert Rizzo/Latino Sports
Endy Chávez is still making an impact long after his MLB playing days – Image Credit: Robert Rizzo/Latino Sports
Seeking his way towards a coaching career with a MLB franchise in the future, as the baseball lifer Chávez is, he revealed, “I would love to be around baseball and am open to coaching offers with a pro ballclub.”
Regarding the consistent growing trend and number of Venezuelan-born MLB players, which was the second-most amongst international countries on Major League Baseball’s 2025 Opening Day team rosters, just behind the Dominican Republic, he stated, “Wow, that makes me feel proud because we know we have very good talent in Venezuela. It’s tough to grow up there, but we’re doing it. We’re forcing it to make it happen and all the great talent, the new talent—they are showing it on the field and you see the results.”
“I’m very happy for the country, I’m happy for those players to make it and to represent our country.”
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