LOS ANGELES -- On Saturday, Derrel Thomas returned to his old stomping grounds.
Thomas, who played for the Dodgers from 1979-83, helped host a Play Ball clinic for 200 young boys and girls at William Mead Homes Youth Center. The former Major Leaguer spent three years living in William Mead Homes, which is less than two miles from Dodger Stadium and was excited to give back to his former community.
"It's really a special feeling," Thomas said. "Because you go back to your humble beginnings and see where it started for you and this is where it started for me at William Mead. Coming down Bloom Street -- the street we used to live on -- was really special. I got a little emotional."
The Play Ball initiative is an effort to encourage youth to participate in baseball- or softball-related activities, including formal leagues, events and casual forms of play. Play Ball events are MLB's signature youth engagement activity during the professional and amateur baseball and softball calendar, including key dates throughout the MLB offseason, regular season, postseason and the World Series.
Former players Ron Cey, Manny Mota, Dennis Powell and Billy Ashley were on hand for the Dodgers' clinic, signing autographs and playing with youth at four different stations. The clinic featured multiple informal baseball and softball stations, including a home run derby, running bases, bat and ball games.
"I think it's great," Powell said of the event. "Now you're coming into their community and you're also letting these kids know that somebody is watching you, somebody sees you. To me that matters, especially to a young kid … this is where dreams are made and this is where diamonds are found."
Each participant also received a bat and ball, along with Dodger hats, T-shirts and wristbands to take home.
"We call this, 'Organized recess,'" said David James, Vice President of Youth Programs for Major League Baseball. "They're going to run around for 90 minutes … It's really going to get kids excited about playing the game and the Dodgers playing in the playoffs."
The Dodgers have an ongoing partnership with William Mead Homes' youth and nearby housing developments, through the team's Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball Program. The youth in attendance will also attend a Dodgers home game next season.
Naomi Rodriguez, Dodgers' vice president of external affairs and community relations said it was important for the club to host a Play Ball event at the William Mead Homes location.
"William Mead is really important to us," Rodriguez said. "The [homes] are five minutes away from the stadium and this is our community. When we talk about Dodger fans, it's those that are sitting there, but it's also those that are here in these housing developments like this."
Joshua Thornton