Spotlight on: Teddy Chisholm (I) & John Bijoy Hankwitz (I)

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After dominating the Dual County League together for several years, Boston Latin School baseball stars Teddy Chisholm (I) and John Bijoy Hankwitz (I) are headed to Framingham State University (FSU) to continue their baseball career at the collegiate level.

Hailing from Boston, home of the Red Sox these athletes were no strangers to the sport at an early age. “I have been playing baseball my whole life,” says Chisholm. “My dad got me into it when I was really young, and since then, it’s stuck with me.”

Hankwitz had a similar experience, saying, “I became interested in baseball by watching the Red Sox. I started playing when I was about five years old but didn’t love the sport until I was ten. I became so interested in it because it is the sport of adjustments. Whenever you mess up or feel yourself off a little, you always have the opportunity to adjust and make up for it.”

When asked about the transition to becoming captain of the baseball team, Hankwitz says, “Although the title sounds really cool, I won’t change the way I act and am looking forward to leading this team on another run.”

As a team player, Chisholm takes it upon himself to be a leader within the group. When Chisholm is not hitting dingers on the field, he is a role model for the underclassmen of the team, helping them “get accustomed to playing at the varsity level.”

The careers of these two athletes, however, have not always been smooth sailing. In the past two years, there were countless delays and cancellations of sports due to the pandemic. The spring of 2020 saw the total abandonment of the baseball season, and the following year yielded a much shorter season than usual.

Chisholm acknowledges the ramifications of these events, stating, “[COVID-19] made it tough for us to feel like a real team since we didn’t get to travel from school together since we were virtual. I’m glad that feeling is back this year.” Even with COVID-19 eliminating both players’ sophomore season, — “which is very important in the recruiting and development process,” according to Hankwitz -— the two have quickly recovered and made the best of the situation.

When describing the duo on and off the field, fellow varsity teammate Max Smith-Stern (II) says, “JB [Hankwitz] and Teddy are both really talented players that bring energy and leadership every day. I know I speak for the whole team and the coaching staff in saying we are really happy for them and excited to see them play at FSU next year. They will be greatly missed.”

After a heartbreaking defeat in the tournament last year after winning two games, Chisholm and Hankwitz began their revenge tour this spring, defeating rival Boston Latin Academy 6-0 in the first game of the season. The dynamic duo will turn their childhood dreams into a reality at FSU the following year. 

Both stars are confident that their newfound home will be a great match for them. “It just felt right for me to commit,” says Chisholm. “My parents were completely on board with the idea and fully supported me since they knew that I wanted to play in college.”

Both extend their gratitude to various coaches and peers who have aided them in reaching these points. They are ready to elevate their games to the next level. With these two at the bat, no one is stopping them.