The Miami Marlins Foundation and Commissioner Barbara Jordan, district one, presented the City of Miami Gardens with a $20,000 check, Feb.19, to go towards baseball programs within the parks. The funds were contributed as a part of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program sponsored by Major League Baseball.
“The Miami Marlins have really been a corporate sponsor and partner with us from the time that they were located at the Dolphins’ stadium. They’ve always supported our events. And when they moved from the Dolphins’ stadium that commitment continued. They made a promise and they keep promises. So now we’re out here today to talk about how we can get our kids more involved in baseball. The interest, for the most part, is for football and basketball. We want to try to spur the interest and the Marlins have really committed to doing that, to spur the interest in baseball with our kids here in Miami Gardens, in district one,” said Commissioner Barbara Jordan.
According to MLB.com, RBI is a program designed to promote the game of baseball to teenage boys and girls in disadvantaged areas. The RBI hosts a world series game every year in August. Former major league player, John Young, originally founded the program in South Central Los Angeles, California.
“One of the things we want to do, not just here at this park, but system wide, is encourage participation in a variety of sports…Now we’re trying to focus on baseball. We want to expose them to things they might excel at, that they might have an interest in, that allows them to remain physically fit and active,” said Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
The youth of the recreational program at Carol City park, dressed in baseball uniforms, laughed and high-fived with Billy the Marlin. They were treated to hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken wings, french fries, lemonade and cupcakes before the presentation. Andre Dawson, Hall of Fame member, along with infielders Dee Gordon and Miguel Rojas conducted baseball clinics with the children at the park.
“It [RBI] gives baseball an identity in the urban communities. It gives these kids an outlet. It gives them an opportunity, even though it’s recreational, to play the game, learn the game, advance in the game and make a choice later on in life,” said Dawson. “Baseball it helps develop sportsmanship, character and I think the earlier you start the better because it’s not an easy game...I’m proud of the fact that more kids in the urban cities are playing baseball again,” said Dawson.
According to Alfredo Mesa, vice president and executive director of the Marlins foundation, the funds will go towards training coaches in a way that gets them closer to the players, they will serve as mentors. This gift is the beginning of the process.
“Miami Gardens is a neighborhood that’s always been extremely hospitable to the Marlins over the years and this is an example of one of the ways the Marlins give back. And growing RBI in Miami Gardens is not only a priority for us but we see the incredible value of being close to the future of baseball by the young men and women we see here already a part of the program and those we will hopefully recruit to be a part of the program in the future,” said Mesa.