2014 City Clinics help hundreds of disadvantaged kids in seven cities

Hundreds took part in the Players Trust's seven-city swing of clinics for disadvantaged kids this spring and summer.

The City Clinics program, in its fifth year, began its series in New York on May 2 and concluded this past weekend in San Diego, where Yonder Alonso, Tommy Medica, Kevin Quakenbush, Tim Stauffer, Eric Stults and Nick Vincent shared their knowledge with kids from San Diego's local RBI, YMCA and STAR/PAL programs.

In between, the popular program was in Cleveland (May 17), Boston (May 21), Minnesota (June 20), Denver (July 22) and Kansas City (Aug. 2), where dozens of players came out to spend pregame hours with the youngsters.

Among the many highlights of the Majestic Athletic-sponsored series was the May 2 clinic in New York where players from both the Yankees and Rays had a chance to host a group of kids from the New York Center for Autism at the Harlem RBI baseball field.

"NYCA is a wonderful organization," said Yankees closer David Robertson, one of more than 30 Major Leaguers to participate in the City Clinics program this year. "Programs like these give kids who don't have as many opportunities to play, but still love the game, a chance. As long as you have fun and enjoy it, that's all that matters."

In addition to Majestic Athletic, the Players Trust partners with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, which sends a squad of coaches to help the big leaguers run the clinics and provide one-on-one instruction for the kids.

Since 2009, the Players Trust's City Clinics program, which started as a player-led effort to help address the dwindling number of African-American players in the Major Leagues, has served more than 6,000 disadvantaged youngsters.

While City Clinics may not produce a Major Leaguer overnight, the program helps demonstrate that through hard work and determination dreams can come true.

To learn more about the Players Trust's City Clinics and to view its 2014 photo gallery, please visit www.PlayersTrust.org.