The Andre Dawson Classic is an annual, round-robin collegiate baseball tournament designed by Major League Baseball to highlight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs. Continuing its goal of highlighting the grand tradition of Black college baseball, the 16th iteration of the tournament (originally known as the...
Andre Dawson Classic
ABOUT THE EVENT
FEB. 23-25, 2024: JACKIE ROBINSON TRAINING COMPLEX
Location: Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Fla.
- Annual round-robin collegiate baseball tournament designed by Major League Baseball to highlight Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and their baseball programs.
- This year’s event will feature teams from the following HBCU’s: North Carolina A&T, Florida A&M, Southern University, Prairie View A&T, Grambling State University and Alabama State.
Recognized by the Higher Education Act of 1965, HBCUs have offered quality educational and athletic programs for African-American youth for more than a century. HBCUs have a proud baseball tradition, and have produced Hall of Famers such as Lou Brock (Southern University) and Andre Dawson (Florida A&M University).
The Urban Invitational was first launched in 2008 at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and was hosted there until 2012 when the tournament relocated to Houston. The Houston Astros hosted the event at Minute Maid Park in 2012 and 2013. In 2014 and 2015 the tournament relocated to New Orleans, and those two years included participation by NCAA Division I programs LSU and University of New Orleans.
Since 2008, the year of the inaugural Invitational, more than 25 HBCU athletes who have played in the tournament have been selected in the MLB Draft.
SCHEDULE
Date | Time | Matchup | Location | Gameday Link | Broadcast |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Friday, Feb. 23 | 12 p.m. | Prairie View A&M 7, North Carolina A&T 5 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | -- |
Friday, Feb. 23 | 4 p.m. | Southern 7, Alabama State 1 | Holman Stadium (TV-MLBN) | Gameday | Watch |
Friday, Feb. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Florida A&M 7, Grambling 6 | Holman Stadium (TV-MLBN) | Gameday | Watch |
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 12 p.m. | North Carolina A&T 8, Southern 2 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | Watch |
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Prairie View A&M 5, Florida A&M 4 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | Watch |
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 7 p.m. | Alabama State 5, Grambling 4 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | Watch |
Sunday, Feb. 25 | 10 a.m. | North Carolina A&T 14, Grambling 5 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | Watch |
Sunday, Feb. 25 | 11 a.m. | Prairie View A&M 13, Alabama State 12 | Field Determination | Gameday | Watch |
Sunday, Feb. 25 | 2 p.m. | Florida A&M 16, Southern 1 | Holman Stadium | Gameday | -- |
Home team listed second. Schedule is subject to change.
TICKETS & PACKAGES
Ticket Sponsorship Opportunity for Businesses
- $500 for 100 tickets.
- Sponsorship will also give you a 15 second PA announcement and the option to set up a vendor table on the concourse during a game of their choosing.
- Any additional tickets purchased will cost $5 each.
- Contact Gabriella Bamford by Feb. 15 to reserve your sponsorship – email [email protected] or call 772-257-8540.
Group Ticket Packages
- $6/ticket minimum purchase of 25 tickets required. Must be purchased at least 48 hours prior to the event.
Pre sale tickets
- $7 adults
- $5 kids ages 3-12
- Kids 2 and under free
Day of game tickets
- $8 adults
- $5 kids ages 3-12
- Kids 2 and under free
All Event Pass (3-Day Tournament)
- $20 adults
- $14 Kids ages 3-12
- Kids 2 and under free
News
- Dawson headlines list of stars supporting MLB Develops
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- If you were present at The Jackie Robinson Training Complex this weekend, there was a definite buzz around the historic Holman Stadium, buoyed by the competitive play between the six historically Black colleges and universities at the 16th Andre Dawson Classic. But away from the action,...
- Radcliffe Bros. pull 'Double Duty' playing college ball, carrying on family legacy
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- If you stick around long enough, it begins to feel like the universe is playing tricks on you -- especially as a baseball fan. History tends to repeat itself between the lines, giving you random bouts of déjà vu, ensuring that the beautiful legacies of the...
- Dawson still helping grow the game through Florida A&M, HBCUs
From a very young age, Andre Dawson knew he wanted to be a Florida A&M Rattler. In elementary school, the future member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame attended the Orange Blossom Classic, where the Rattlers football team played annually in his hometown of Miami. The games were intoxicating...
- Andre Dawson Classic a measuring stick for HBCU baseball
Early season college baseball is always tinged with an enhanced level of excitement, with the eagerness to show that months of hard work have proved to be fruitful, right out the gate. But ahead of the Andre Dawson Classic this weekend, hosted by MLB at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex...
- Andre Dawson Classic concludes with hope for kids' baseball futures
NEW ORLEANS -- Competitive baseball is the centerpiece of the Andre Dawson Classic each year, but take a closer look at the atmosphere at the event, and it’s clear there’s much more going on than just the games on the field. The annual gathering of baseball teams from Historically Black...
Video
- VideoRadcliffe brothers discuss Andre Dawson Classic
MLB Network features Khyle and Jacoby Radcliffe as they discuss playing in the Andre Dawson Classic and playing on the same team
- VideoTrenton Bush's RBI single in the 10th
Trenton Bush hits an RBI single to right field to extend Prairie View A&M's lead to 13-11 in the top of the 10th inning
- VideoLee Allen Jr. grounds a go-ahead bunt
Lee Allen Jr. grounds a go-ahead sacrifice bunt to pull Prairie View A&M ahead of Alabama State University in the top of the 10th inning
- VideoIsaiah Landry hits game-tying single in the 9th
Isaiah Landry drives a single to left-center field, scoring Jamal George to tie the game at 11 in the 9th inning
- VideoTatsunori Negishi hits an RBI double in the 8th
Tatsunori Negishi laces an RBI double to left field, increasing North Carolina A&T's lead to 13-4 in the bottom of the 8th inning
- VideoMichael Logan hits an RBI single in the 6th inning
Michael Logan hits an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th inning to score Canyon Brown and make it 11-1
- VideoTJ Ash his a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 6th
TJ Ash is out on a sacrifice fly to center field in the bottom of the 6th inning, allowing Tatsunori Negishi to score and make it 9-1
- VideoTatsunori Negishi hits an RBI single in the 6th
Tatsunori Negishi lines an RBI single to right field in the bottom of the 6th inning to score Shermar Dalton and make it 8-1
- VideoTiger Borom hits an RBI single in the 4th inning
Tiger Borom cracks an RBI single to right field in the bottom of the 4th inning, plating Daylon Ardoin to make the score 7-1