If you are a fan of baseball or pop music, you might have wondered if Shane Bieber, the ace pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, is related to Justin Bieber, the global superstar singer. The two share a common surname and have both achieved fame and success in their respective fields. But are they really related? Or is it just a coincidence? Here’s what we know.
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The Short Answer: No, They Are Not Related
Contrary to popular belief, Justin and Shane are not related. Justin was born in Ontario, Canada, while Shane was born in Southern California. Justin attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, before being drafted into the major leagues. They have no known family ties or ancestry that would link them together.
The Long Answer: How the Confusion Started and How They Reacted
The confusion between Shane and Justin started in 2019, when the Topps baseball card company made a mistake and wrote “Justin” on a trading card of Shane. The pitcher noticed the error and tweeted a picture of it, tagging Justin in the process.
> Nice @Topps
> pic.twitter.com/FW8R1Ckzri
> — Shane Bieber (@ShaneBieber19) August 3, 2019
Justin responded by retweeting the picture and adding a laughing emoji. He also followed Shane on Twitter and sent him a direct message, saying “I feel like we have a special connection.” Shane told MLB.com that he was surprised and honored by Justin’s reaction, and that he hoped to meet him someday.
> @ShaneBieber19
> pic.twitter.com/SaYj589Cbp
> — Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) August 28, 2019
The name mix-up became even more prominent when Shane won the AL Cy Young Award as the league’s best pitcher in 2020. Many fans and media outlets congratulated him by using Justin’s name or songs as puns. For example, one headline read “Shane Bieber is Sorry for Being So Good” (referencing Justin’s hit song “Sorry”). Another one said “Shane Bieber is the One” (referencing Justin’s collaboration with DJ Khaled, “I’m The One”).
Shane took the jokes in stride and even embraced them by wearing a jersey that said “Not Justin” on the back during Player’s Weekend in 2019. He also joked that he would change his walk-up song to one of Justin’s tunes if he ever got to bat in an interleague game.
The Conclusion: They Are Not Related, But They Are Friendly
To sum up, Shane Bieber and Justin Bieber are not related to each other, but they have a friendly rapport on social media. They have not met in person yet, but they have expressed mutual respect and admiration for each other’s work. They also have a lot of fans who enjoy their music and their sports. Maybe one day, they will collaborate on something that will make both Beliebers and baseball lovers happy. Until then, we can enjoy their talents separately and appreciate their unique contributions to their respective fields..
