Former MLB, NBA stars and more hit the links to celebrate 20 years of Compton Youth Academy

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- MLB’s annual Youth Academy Celebrity Golf Invitational is always a memorable event filled with current and former players, celebrities and other professional athletes -- but it was even more special on Monday, as it celebrated the 20th year of the first Academy opened in Compton in 2006.

The golf tournament, which is hosted by former Angels teammates Torii Hunter and Gary Matthews Jr. at Pelican Hill Golf Club, raises funds for the MLB Youth Academy in Compton. Since it opened, eight other Youth Academies have been developed across the country and offer free year-round baseball and softball instruction, education and recreational spaces in underserved communities.

“We’re supporting the flagship academy in Compton and MLB Development is continuing to do amazing work throughout the years,” said Matthews Jr. “They provide professional level coaching for boys and girls softball, baseball, and also vocational skills. So it's a great program. Clearly they're having historical significance and we're here to support it and obviously have a great time doing it.”

While Matthews Jr. and Hunter hosted the event, much of the background work was done by MLB chief baseball development officer and former Angels GM Tony Reagins and MLB vice president of baseball development Del Matthews.

They recruited a star-studded roster that included actor Marlon Wayans, former Angels manager Mike Scioscia, former NL MVP Steve Garvey, former NFL stars Eric Dickerson, Todd Gurley and Christian Okoye and former NBA stars Byron Scott and Mitch Richmond. Former MLB players included Royce Clayton, Vince Coleman, Mark Gubicza, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Sr., Mickey Hatcher, Jacque Jones, David Justice, Kenny Landreaux, Jerry Manuel, Mike Harkey, Darren Oliver, Gary Pettis, Nick Punto, Ron Roenicke, Jerry Royster and Brian Wilson.

Additionally, celebrities who participated included actors/actresses Debbe Dunning, Michael Irby, Emilio Rivera, Chris Spencer, Alex Thomas and Dondré Whitfield, as well as musicians Rene Gonzalez, Stephen Bishop and Tommy Brown. Golf influencers such as Sara Camarena Kuchle, Lisa Dillon, Alissa Kacar, Troy Mullins, Maiya and Misa Tanaka also golfed in the event.

“This is one of the best programs going,” Scioscia said. “With everybody's passion for baseball, Tony Reagins and MLB have put it into play with action that's going to bring this game to more kids. And it's been so rewarding. I've only been associated for about six years, but to see the growth and see everybody that's come through the program. Getting kids to the next level from high school to college, and then college to the pros, and then hopefully Minor leagues to the Major Leagues, has been rewarding, and it all starts here.”

The Compton Youth Academy was the first of its kind, but there are now ones based in Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Kansas City, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. The academies not only provide world-class baseball and softball facilities and coaching but academic and life support, including vocational training for other jobs in sports like field management, player development, journalism, public relations, law and statistics.

Notable Youth Academy alumni who reached the Majors include Hunter Greene, Aaron Hicks, Khris Davis, Dominic Smith, Dillon Tate, Brice Matthews and Kyle Higashioka. Several scouts also got their start at the academies, as did MLB umpire Malachi Moore.

“To be able to come here and play in this tournament and give back not only my time, money and everything they ask from me is big for me because I was one of those kids,” Scott said. “I grew up dreaming about playing in the Major Leagues. I think I picked the right sport [basketball] and it turned out OK. But anytime you can support the youth, I think you have an obligation to give back.”

The event featured several auctions to raise money for the academy and MLB is also hosting an online auction this year to raise money for the MLB Youth Foundation. It includes autographs from players such as Mookie Betts, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jacob Misiorowski and Bobby Witt Jr. The auction is live on auctions.mlb.com.

Del Matthews got his start as an intern at the academy in Compton in 2008 and has been proud to see how much it’s grown with MLB’s support.

“We get a chance to celebrate the kids for once,” Matthews said. “We had a couple of kids out here to give their testimonies, but also it just raises awareness for what we're doing through softball and baseball and through vocational programs and all of the things the academy offers like the SAT prep and tutoring that's there for the community. We were strategic in building the Academy in Compton and it’s great to see how far we've come.”