CommunityIn 2008, Cleveland Indians Charities established a $50,000 youth baseball and softball grant program. With support from Majestic Steel, this Baseball Diamond Improvement Grant will benefit Northeast Ohio teams and leagues in need of new bleachers, backstops, fences and other equipment. The goal of this program is to assist league funding, programming, and renovation of playing fields.
Projects currently underway: Parma Amateur Athletic Federation, Parma City School District and Boy Scouts of America.
Cleveland Indians Charities (CIC), the Cleveland Baseball Federation (CBF), and official spokesman, Grady Sizemore, have partnered to continue the efforts to grow youth baseball and softball in the Cleveland area. Through this partnership, the Indians and CBF have streamlined the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and Rookie Program to maximize youth participation, make the best use of grant proceeds, and most importantly, provide youth with a positive team-oriented activity to keep them off the streets and challenge them academically and physically. Additionally, these children are required to attend educational seminars that stress positive social interaction, health issues, and the importance of staying in school.
A highlight of this partnership was "RBI 1st Pitch", held at Progressive Field on June 12, 2008. Over 1,000 youngsters ran the bases, played catch, received hitting tips, were taught the values of proper nutrition, met Indians players and coaches and had a full scale baseball game.
Over the past 11 seasons, the Athletic Department of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the Cleveland Indians shared partnership. During this time frame, Cleveland Indians Charities has donated over $1.6 million to operate baseball and softball programs throughout Cleveland. CIC will continue to supply the necessary funds to assure the continuation of the district's 11 high school baseball and softball programs. One highlight for the players is the Senate Baseball Championship Tournament held at Progressive Field. Each year, this partnership reaches over 700 high school boys and girls who play baseball and softball in the City of Cleveland.
Progressive Field plays host to the Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run (PHR) each year. This MLB initiative provides a series of competitive events that test the ability for kids to pitch, hit, and run. This "Official Youth Skills Competition of Major League Baseball" reaches more than 600,000 boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 each year. PHR includes more than 3,500 local competitions, providing youth across North America with an integrated competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball skills. The top four competitors nationwide from each division advance to the Major League Baseball All-Star Week for the national finals. In 2008, 16 youth baseball players from Northeast Ohio competed in the local finals to become the best of the best.
Indians players host this Major League Baseball Players Trust "Buses for Baseballs" event each year at Progressive Field. Courtesy of the player's charitable foundation, 50 members from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cleveland met Indians players before attending that evening's game. Players sign autographs, pose for pictures and take part in an interesting Q&A session with the children.
Playing at Progressive Field is a dream for many children across Northeast Ohio. The Northeast Ohio Baseball Coaches Association (NEOBCA) All-Star games are an opportunity for the Cleveland Indians to provide this dream. The NEOBCA and Blue Streak Camps administer these games each summer. ed these games on Wednesday, June 13, 2007. This one-day event features three All-Star games played by more then 140 high school students from Northeast Ohio.
This one-day clinic held at Progressive Field on June 25, 2008 was administered by Indians Head Athletic Trainer, Lonnie Soloff and assisted by Indians Indfielder, Jamey Carroll. PLAY, which stands for Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth, is a public awareness campaign of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS), in conjunction with the Taylor Hooton Foundation and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. The PLAY Campaign promotes healthy living and decision making among children in America.
