GARY, Ind. -- It couldn’t have been a better homecoming for longtime reliever LaTroy Hawkins as he helped Major League Baseball host the latest Play Ball event at U.S. Steel Yard on Friday night.

Hawkins joined in serving the community he grew up in by helping develop what he hopes is the next wave of young baseball players.

“It’s always to give back to where you came from. Just let the kids know you can fulfill your dreams coming from a place like this. It’s not the end of the road,” Hawkins said. “I was them at one time, and there’s nothing holding them back from getting out of the city and doing great things and then coming back and giving back to the city.”

MLB’s Play Ball and other initiatives such as the RBI program, Hank Aaron invitational, Breakthrough and Dream Series have continued to grow with the hope of providing underserved youth in cities around the country an opportunity to access and learn the game of baseball as well as reaching a more diverse base of kids of all ages.

“There’s not many of [African-Americans] in this game,” Hawkins said. “There are some coming, and with the programs that Major League Baseball has put together, hopefully there will be plenty more in the future.”

According to MLB, just 8.2 percent of all active players on 2019 Opening Day rosters were African-American.

“Whenever you can bring busloads of kids to take part in our game, it’s important and it’s huge,” MLB executive vice president of baseball and softball development Tony Reagins said. “We have a staff member [Sarah Padove] that is from this area [in Hammond, Ind.]. LaTroy is from Gary. The connection really made sense for us.”

All of the 200 kids in attendance, ages 5 to 13, were able to take part in running the bases, agility drills, a home run derby and more. Every player went home with their own T-shirt and Wiffle ball set, allowing them to access the game wherever they are, which is something that isn’t always easy, especially in many African-American communities.

“Access is always a challenge in neighborhoods, because safe places to play are starting to become limited,” Regains said. “So what we’re trying to do is make sure if they can’t get to the ballpark or a structured field, we can bring the game to them.

“Each kid is going to walk out of here with a bat and ball. From an access standpoint, they’ll be able to go into their front yard or backyard and swing the bat or play catch. They won’t need a full-size diamond to do that.”

Friday’s Play Ball event was the first in the state of Indiana, and it won't be the last.

Hawkins says he’ll be returning to his hometown to host his own Play Ball event later this summer and will be bringing along other former big leaguers to take part.

“Some of the kids have never picked up a bat before,” Hawkins said. “It may be the only time in their life that they pick up a bat. For other kids, it may spark something in them that makes them want to be part of the great game of baseball.”

The next Play Ball event will take place on May 23 at Sam Suplizio Field at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.