Phils gift e-gaming room to youth center in Legacy initiative

PHILADELPHIA -- On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Houston Astros in a pivotal Game 3 of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park. But as far as the Phils' city is concerned, the organization is already making a significant impact off the field.

As a part of Major League Baseball’s Fall Classic Legacy initiative, which seeks to repay the cities that play host to the sport’s biggest event, the Phillies are donating a new e-gaming room to the 24th Police Athletic League (PAL) Center, an organization in Philadelphia which enriches local youth by providing them meaningful opportunities for education, recreation and cultural development.

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The Phillies organization will pledge $50,000 to the creation of the new space, as well as the refreshment of some of the PAL center’s existing areas. It is the first time the Phillies have had the chance to participate in this specific Legacy initiative, but when it comes to PAL, assisting the community is nothing new. It is currently celebrating its 75th year of service, leaving a lasting legacy that will be forever intertwined with the Phillies.

At the event to commemorate the donation, the atmosphere was infectious. There was not a hat or shirt in sight that did not bear the Phillies’ signature "P" logo. The kids, the focus of the initiative, posed for pictures, using “Go Phillies!” as their rallying cry. It was easy to see what the Phillies mean to Philadelphia, and with efforts such as this one, the team is hoping to return some of that appreciation.

“You start to realize what the culture is, and how important sports, playing off the street, having something to be able to look forward to after school, is,” said Cole Hamels, former Phillies pitcher and 2008 World Series MVP. “I’ve always been a big believer in trying to provide good opportunities for kids, because there is always people that are thinking about them. There’s always hope.”

Hope, as Hamels describes it, is essential to raising the next generation. By benefiting places like PAL, which help children every single day, MLB reminds everyone of the positive impact baseball can make on the future of communities across the country.

Few people understand the role organizations such as PAL can play quite like Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. Outlaw was a part of the Police Explorer program in her youth, and credits her experiences there for helping her view law enforcement in a new light. Now, she sees from a new perspective how that sort of guidance can aid the Philadelphia of tomorrow.

“Our kids receive the support they need to become leaders in their neighborhoods,” Outlaw said. “These centers provide our children with safe, structured and supervised activities. ... Truly, PAL provides a safe haven for our kids, in a sometimes very unsafe world ... I think this room will provide yet another exciting and structured refuge for our kids, our future leaders.”

Ahead of Game 1 in Houston on Friday, MLB and the Houston Astros Foundation announced an endeavor that will benefit Buckner International, an organization in the corresponding host city that provides similar services to PAL. It will receive a Chevrolet van, which will be used to transport kids to various activities in the surrounding area.

The Fall Classic Legacy initiative has made it a point to support causes that provide long-lasting assistance to their communities, and to provide them with donations that will stand the test of time. For long after the last pitch of the World Series has been thrown, Buckner’s van will still be shuttling residents and PAL’s e-gaming room will still be providing a fun, safe outlet for the youth of Philadelphia.

“This right here really does show that there’s an importance behind their future, and giving them the tools to be able to achieve their dreams,” Hamels said. “[When I was a kid] I was fortunate enough to be able to have fields to play sports, the neighborhoods to be able to do so, and having parents that really looked out for us. So when you have that community involvement, that’s what can create the best path for success.”

It goes without saying that those at the 24th PAL Center will be rooting for Philadelphia as the World Series presses on. But in a way much bigger than the game of baseball itself, both cities have already won.