Midwest Baseball Academy, with local operations in St. Paul, MN, is partnering with the Major League Urban Youth Academy and the Major League Baseball Players Association on a project that aims to send $1 million worth of equipment to disadvantaged players in the U.S. and overseas.
Hamline University is one of 110 locations in 25 states operated by Louisville-based Midwest Baseball Academy, which expects about 16,000 players in its upcoming Spring Training 2008 program. The company is asking each player, and each past player, in its program to clean out his garage of no-longer-used baseball equipment - bats, gloves, cleats, helmets, catcher's gear - and place it in collection bins at camp locations around the country, including Hamline University. The St. Paul location begins January 5th and runs through February 9th.
"Most of our players have a garage full of baseball gear that they will never use again," said MBA President Marc Hoffman. "The holiday season is the perfect time to gather it up and give it to someone who really needs it. That old glove and worn cleats may seem like trash to you and your friends, but they're as good as new to a kid in Los Angeles or Puerto Rico who has to borrow a glove and play in tennis shoes."
With the help of the Major League Baseball Players Association and Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy, the equipment donated will find its way to underprivileged players around the U.S. and other worldwide locations. Bobby Bonilla, former Major League All-Star and founding member of the Major League Baseball Players Trust, expressed his support of the "Donate a Dream" program.
"On behalf of the Major League Baseball Players Trust, I want to thank Midwest Baseball Academy for including the Trust as one of the beneficiaries of its upcoming equipment drive," said Bonilla, current Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the MLBPA. "Through the generosity of the Academy's members, and their desire to help the less fortunate, the donated equipment will be used by Major Leaguers to make sure a number of needy kids in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic have the equipment they need to play the game we all love."
At the end of camp, items will be boxed and shipped to locations designated by the Major League Baseball Players Trust as well as Major League Baseball's Urban Youth Academy and RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) programs. The Urban Youth Academy is an organization in Compton, Calif., designed to encourage baseball among inner-city youth.
Darrell Miller, Urban Youth Academy Director, said: "We are happy that the Midwest Baseball Academy has chosen the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy as a beneficiary of its generosity. This donation will help the Academy continue its mission of bringing baseball to inner-city youth that really love our sport. On behalf of the all the kids we serve, I would like to thank you."
Midwest Baseball Academy, in business since 1988, offers a six-week, indoor Spring Training program that includes classes in hitting and pitching. The program is run by high school and college coaches from the local area and costs $99.
Through this donation program, adequately entitled "Donate a Dream," these players can also help others participate in America's favorite pastime.
"Our goal is to make this the largest single equipment donation in the history of Major League Baseball's charities," Hoffman said. "If every player brings just one old bat, glove and pair of cleats, donations will surpass $1 million and help more than ten thousand less fortunate kids."
To find details on the "Donate a Dream" location nearest you, visit www.baseballacademy.net [2], phone toll-free 866-MBA-HITS, or e-mail donate@midwestbaseballacademy.com [3].