MUCH MORE THAN BATTING AVERAGE

People around Hobbs Hernandez are starting to catch on to what his father Mark has always known: This 13-year-old is a rising star!

Back in 2023, all in attendance at the school talent show got a glimpse of this emerging young talent. Guns N’ Roses’ hit song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” blasted from the speakers. The crowd watched in awe as Hobbs came on stage, bandana and aviator sunglasses in place. He didn’t just imitate Axl Rose – he became Axl Rose.

That same year, Hobbs raised the rafters again as he gave a rousing graduation speech. Showcasing his charisma, he had these memorable words to the fifth graders who would follow behind him: “These are your golden years. Enjoy them.”

Family, friends and neighbors know Hobbs as a “Halloween Costume icon.” He has slayed such varied roles as a turtle, a Death Eater, a beloved refrigerator, and another classic: a garbage can.

Now an eight-grader, Hobbs’ stock is rising at Fletcher Middle School in East Palo Alto. With skills as electric and eclectic as his personality, he excels at baseball, discus-throwing, and playing the trumpet.

Hobbs Hernandez is a four-time All-Star in baseball. At age 11, he emerged as a star on the city’s champion baseball team, batting in the leadoff position, and holding the third-best batting average in the league. He’s observed as an elite hitter “with an intelligent approach, keen eye, and advanced mechanics.” He’s a dual threat, like another famous Californian baseball player – an excellent pitcher, with a great fastball, and effective off-speed pitches.

Though less experienced with the discus, Hobbs has already risen to the level of sectional champion. As for the field of music, this one-time “Axl Rose” is soaring to the top in the school band. He is once again eliciting cheers, now for his featured trumpet solos.

Of course, it isn’t batting average, All-Star accolades, and the other high notes that have the greatest impact. It’s who Hobbs Hernandez is, his father says, “Determined. A fiery competitor, student of everything he does, quick learner, and champion of justice.”

Hobbs is a cherished son to Mark and Melinda, an exemplary kid brother to 16-year-old Huxley, and faithful caretaker of his fuzzy feline friends, Rino and Calypso. Like his brother, he is known to be kind and empathetic. Hobbs holds himself to a high standard and keeps his expectations sky-high as well.

His aptitude manifested at a quite early age. Hobbs’ first word was “No,” and reportedly, he has been a keen negotiator ever since. “He has always had an advanced understanding of leverage,” his father says, and “he knows how to draw and maintain boundaries.”

Is Hobbs Hernandez a hero? “He has been and always will be to me,” says Mark. “It’s an honor to be his father.” For this determined young man, known for his grit, his principles, and his refusal to sell out, the sky is the limit.