Baby Delivered by Pirates' Staff Named After Stadium

His parents named him McKechnie for the where he was born Tuesday night. Actually, it was his dad Joseph Brand's idea.

McKechnie K'Marion Brand came into the world to the sights and sounds of a baseball stadium preparing for spring training.

"He wanted to see what all the noise was about," said mom Latasha Renee Kirk.

Kirk, 29, said her baby wasn't due until April 1, and so when she felt some contractions while walking over to the "soft opening" Pittsburgh Pirates party at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, she thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions and figured there was no point to going to the hospital.

"He fooled me," Kirk said. "He came out saying, 'It's April Fool's Day, Mom. I am here.'"

Because she was convinced it wasn't time for the baby, Kirk ordered a cheeseburger once she got to the field and said she was really enjoying it until the contractions got stronger.

She walked in a few circles and began some breathing exercises before telling someone she thought she might be in labor.

But by then it was too late. , called 911 and pulled up a wheelchair to take Kirk to the front of the stadium to meet an ambulance.

He kept assuring her the baby wouldn't arrive before EMS. By the time they got to the front of the stadium Kirk told Gooby it was too late, the baby was coming. She was right.

Gooby, who was interviewed by ESPN, was there to catch the baby and to wrap him in towels and stay with Kirk and the baby until the ambulance arrived.

The tiny slugger is a newborn celebrity—a hit on sports talk shows and healthy, to boot. Gooby visited Manatee Memorial Hospital Wednesday morning to see mom and baby.

McKechnie received a lifetime membership to the Pirate's Kids Club, a Pirates hat, a Marauder's onesie, sneakers and baby supplies.

McKechnie is already a star given all of the attention he got today from television stations from across Tampa Bay and down to Sarasota. Kirk said she wouldn't be surprised to see the papparazzi at this point.

Because he was so early, McKechnie, who is 5-pounds-2-ounces, will have to stay in the hopital for two weeks, which won't make his two big sisters very happy. They were on the phone with Kirk Wednesday afternoon saying they were ready for her and the baby to come home.

Kirk said once he's ready to go out, one of his first outings will be to a spring training game. She also plans to take him to see Gooby, who delivered the tyke.

As for his future, Kirk hopes he McKechnie will be a baseball player. She said she loves the baseball stadium, the sights, the sounds and especially the food. She's already planning a first birthday celebration at the park.

This article originally appeared on Bradenton Patch.

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