LOS ANGELES -- There was a noticeable buzz at the Dodgers Dreamfield at Bishop Canyon on Saturday morning.
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More than 300 local kids, all outfitted in blue Dodgers caps, gathered for a special Play Ball event at the Elysium Park youth field, located near Dodger Stadium, where just hours earlier the Dodgers earned a thrilling walk-off victory over the Red Sox in Friday night's marathon World Series Game 3.
"I think everybody's on somewhat of a high this morning," said Nichol Whiteman, executive director of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. "It didn't matter how old you were, where you were, whatever; you kind of woke up with a pop this morning."
Former Dodgers Shawn Green, Mickey Hatcher, Billy Ashley and Dennis Powell, as well as "This Is Us" actress Mackenzie Hancsicsak were on hand for the event, which is one of hundreds held throughout the country since Major League Baseball's Play Ball initiative launched in 2015.
The initiative aims to increase participation in all forms of baseball and softball activities among all age groups, especially youth, an emphasis of Commissioner Rob Manfred's since he assumed his role in 2015.
"Clearly it's important for baseball to target younger kids and get them excited about the game and continue to build that lifelong passion for baseball," Green said. "This is the type of program where it gets kids to tune into baseball, and not just for the World Series or for next year, but for life."
Saturday's event featured a number of baseball and softball activities that highlight the many ways the game can be played. The kids in attendance were from various Los Angeles-based youth groups -- including Dodgers RBI, Northeast Los Angeles Little League, LAPD Youth Foundation Programs Unit, Boys & Girls Clubs of Ramona and Boys & Girls Clubs of Hollywood -- and each received a bat and ball set and Play Ball-branded gear to take home. Some participants were recognized on the field as part of the pregame festivities in advance of Game 4 of the World Series.
Many of the Play Ball programs are aimed at reaching underprivileged youth, who may not otherwise have access to baseball and softball equipment, instruction and playing fields.

"There's a lot of kids who can't afford to go out there and play the game of baseball," Hatcher said. "We've got to do our best to find a way to get them out here on the field, get them involved in something where they're involved with other kids, other people, and they feel comfortable about life, they feel good about themselves."
With the World Series in town for Games 3, 4 and 5, baseball's spotlight is focused on Los Angeles, where the Dodgers have an active community presence with many current and former players routinely turning out for local youth events and charitable efforts.
The increased attention provided a unique opportunity to highlight the various youth programs and initiatives MLB and the Dodgers have put forth in the city, including Play Ball and the Dodgers' Dream Fields, of which Saturday's venue is one of 50 the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and its partners have completed since 2003. The foundation recently extended its initial commitment with an additional $10 million to reach 75 fields by the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles.
"We love that Play Ball has become such a heightened campaign," Whiteman said. "It really is helping us place an emphasis on the fact that sports -- and specifically baseball and softball -- can have a real impact in the lives of kids, especially in underserved communities here in Los Angeles."
Baseball and softball participation combined to rank as the most participated team sports in the United States in 2017 (25.1 million participants), according to a report by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, and since the launch of Play Ball in 2015, baseball has seen a 49.1 percent growth in casual participation.
"Our goal is to continue to push and do more and try to touch more communities and get more kids involved as much as we can in baseball, softball and girls baseball," said Tony Reagins, MLB's executive vice president for baseball and softball development. "Our work will never be done, really, as long as there are young people that are out there that we haven't engaged."