WHAT: The Dodgers in partnership with the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, Boys and Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Metro Los Angeles, Major League Baseball and USA Softball will host a PLAY BALL clinic for 200 youth Saturday at William Mead Homes. The event will feature a series of informal baseball- and softball-centered stations, including home run derby, running bases, bat & ball games, lunch and more. Each participant will also receive a bat & ball along with Dodger hats, t-shirts and wristbands to take home.
WHO: Dodger alumni Ron Cey, Manny Mota, Derrel Thomas, Dennis Powell and Billy Ashley David James, Major League Baseball's Vice President, Youth Programs Naomi Rodriguez, Dodger Vice President, External Affairs and Community Relations Lauren Rhyne, Director of Educational Resources, USA Baseball Matt Pajak, Assistant Director of Prospect Development Pipeline, USA Baseball Madilyn "Bubba" Nickles, Member of the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Holly Azevedo, Member of the USA Softball Jr. Women's National Team
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 14, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: William Mead Homes - 1300 Cardinal Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
MISC: The Dodgers have an ongoing relationship with William Mead Homes youth (and nearby housing developments) through the team's Kids 4 Dodgers Baseball program, which provides a full gameday experience, and the Dodgers Community of Schools Program, which serves nearby schools with its LA Reads literacy initiative, Step Up to the Plate Attendance Program and invitations to high-achieving students to the annual Children's Holiday Party at Dodger Stadium.
Derrel Thomas, who played for the Dodgers from 1979-83 and will help lead Saturday's clinic, spent some of his early years (infant to age three) living in William Mead Homes.
About PLAY BALL
The PLAY BALL initiative is baseball's collective effort to encourage young people and communities to participate in baseball- or softball-related activities, including formal leagues, events and casual forms of play. PLAY BALL events have become 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. PlayBall.org is the PLAY BALL initiative's online home and is accessible via MLB.com, USABaseball.com, USASoftball.com and other partner websites. PlayBall.org features youth-oriented content, including baseball trivia and quizzes, and video highlights from MLB games, social media content, photos and a "PlayBall Near You" interactive map that locates local community leagues. The site also features access to video podcasts and highlights from MLB Network's youth-focused show "Play Ball," which features interviews and on-field demonstrations with top players throughout the League. PlayBall.org also links to USABaseball.com, which provides players, parents and coaches with the information and resources to help with proper play and instruction, including education videos featuring Hall of Famer and MLB Network analyst John Smoltz, Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon, and Kansas City Royals Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Dayton Moore, among others. Health and safety information, including through the Pitch Smart program, also is available. PLAY BALL is generously supported by Chevrolet, Scotts and Nathan's.
Dodgers to host Play Ball clinic Saturday
The Dodgers in partnership with the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, Boys and Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Metro Los Angeles, Major League Baseball and USA Softball will host a PLAY BALL clinic for 200 youth Saturday at William Mead Homes.
October 12th, 2017