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Mo'ne feted by Sports Illustrated Kids

Taney Dragons star pitcher Mo'ne Davis enjoys sharing magazine's honor with teammates and classmates.

Mo'ne Davis speaks to the crowd as she was named the Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year at Lincoln Financial Field. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)
Mo'ne Davis speaks to the crowd as she was named the Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year at Lincoln Financial Field. (David Maialetti/Staff Photographer)Read more

AFTER ALL the media attention both locally and nationally, Mo'ne Davis isn't tired of it yet. Speaking to reporters at Lincoln Financial Field yesterday, Davis said only one thing bothered her.

"The lights are pretty bright, but I don't really mind," Davis said, camera lights shining in her eyes.

The latest accolade in a year full of them came last week when Sports Illustrated Kids named her its Sports Kid of the Year. And yesterday, they celebrated.

Joining Davis in the SCA Club at the Linc were 150 of her Springside Chestnut Hill Academy classmates, her Taney Dragons and Anderson Monarch baseball teammates and a few celebrities - including Mayor Nutter.

Sixers guard Michael Carter-Williams came out to show his support and even took part in a Q & A session on stage. WNBA guard and former Notre Dame star Skylar Diggins was also in attendance.

Diggins said she was inspired by Davis throughout the summer.

"Me being a professional athlete, you look up to people like that," Diggins said. "It's crazy saying that, because she's so much younger than I am."

SI Kids managing editor Mark Bechtel hosted a presentation, during which Davis was given the Sports Kid of the Year jacket. Nutter grabbed the microphone and spoke to the group of students and parents and a brief Sports Illustrated video was shown honoring Davis.

It was the video that hit home to the mayor.

"I kind of teared up a little bit," Nutter said. "I think about this young lady, I think about my own daughter, who did a lot of things for me and with me when she was 12 and 13. It's just a great sense of pride and joy for her. It's a hugely proud moment for the city of Philadelphia."

Davis has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, been featured in a Spike Lee-directed Chevrolet commercial, sat next to Jimmy Fallon on his television show and even had her jersey displayed in baseball's Hall of Fame.

But it was yesterday's event, which featured numerous activities and games for kids to partake in, that brought her the most fun and joy.

"It's pretty nice," Davis said. "I like this event today, because all my friends could be here. It's not just adults, all the kids and you can just have fun."