CHICAGO – Chicago Cubs fans may be familiar with Pete Crow-Armstrong’s spectacular fly balls, lightning speed and fierce gaze in center field. But few know that behind that brilliance lies a unique childhood, a journey fueled by… cinema, love and promises between mother and son.
Raised on movies, but heart on the field
Born in California, Pete is not only a “sports kid” – but also has artistic blood in his veins. His mother, Ashley Crow, is an actress who played Billy Heywood’s mother in the classic baseball movie Little Big League (1994). His father, Matthew John Armstrong, is also a famous TV actor.
“Pete has been on the set since he was a kid, but all he wanted to do was run. Baseball came to him like breathing,” – his mother once shared. When he was 11 years old, Pete often invited his mother to the backyard to practice throwing. One time, a pitch so hard that it hit his mother in the hip. “And that was the last time I was a catcher,” she laughs.
From backyard to Cubs icon – raised with love and determination
Pete was raised by parents who not only expected but understood and respected his choices. Instead of forcing him, they gave him freedom – and that made him even more passionate about baseball.
At Harvard-Westlake High School – a school that has produced many MLB stars – Pete quickly became a phenomenon. In 2020, he was drafted 19th overall by the New York Mets and then brought back by the Cubs as a precious diamond in the rough.
“I’m not trying to be the next Pete Crow‑Armstrong. I want to be the first Pete Crow‑Armstrong.”
Even at a young age, Pete had a clear vision. He didn’t get caught up in the noise of showbiz or the media. He chose his own path – even his on-field music was different: Front to Back by a little-known indie band, but full of personality and inspiration.
A sensitive soul – not just a player, but a person
Pete is often involved in community activities, especially with sports-loving children and charities in Chicago. He once said:
“If there’s a boy who looks at me like I looked at Jason Heyward, I’ll always try to live up to that look.”
From pitching with his mother to the lights of Wrigley Field, Pete Crow-Armstrong is living the dream – and he’s as humble and kind as he was the day he first laced up his glove and ran on the grass.