WASHINGTON – Imagine how good it felt for utility man Charlie Culberson, in his second start for the Braves and first start at third base, to make a spectacular diving catch Sunday at Colorado, falling across the rolled-up tarp and landing in the first row of the seats with beer spilled on his uniform, then having that play featured at No. on ESPN’s top 10 Plays of the Day.
Then imagine how it felt to be told that ESPN’s SportCenter anchor said it was Dansby Swanson who made the play, noting that Swanson also had a home run in the same 4-0 win against the Rockies. Swanson, the shortstop who’s a near look-alike of Culberson down to the hair, beard and body types, did hit a homer in the game, but it was Culberson who made the sprawling catch over the tarp.
The two laughed about it Monday as each told of hearing about the ESPN faux pas.
“Not even a recognition (for Culberson),” Swanson said, smiling
“Nothing,” Culberson joked.
“Somebody sent me an Instagram story and it was like, ‘What a sick catch, bro,’” Swanson said to Culberson. “And it’s like, you, diving in the stands, it’s clearly not me.”
A later version of SportsCenter properly identified Culberson as the man who made the play.
“A buddy of mine, I guess, Tweeted at them that that wasn’t Dansby, it was me,” Culberson explained Monday, as Swanson listened with amusement. “I guess (ESPN) Tweeted back to him, ‘We fixed it.’”
It’s hardly the first time that someone has confused the identities of Culberson and Swanson, Georgia natives who could pass as twins, though Culberson is 28 and a father of three. Swanson is 24.
After Culberson was acquired from the Dodgers as part of the December five-player trade that sent Matt Kemp to the Dodgers, Culberson said he was asked repeatedly during the offseason around Atlanta and at spring training if he was Swanson, or was called “Dansby” by a unknowing fan.
Some teammates and coaches have also gotten them confused occasionally as one or the other walked through the clubhouse.
