Bed Stuy Little League Hits a Homerun!
| April 7, 2007 | ||
| 12:00 pm | to | 3:00 pm |
| April 21, 2007 | ||
| 10:45 am | ||
The Inner City Sports Bed-Stuy Little League begins it’s new season on Saturday, April 21, 2007. The season is officially launched with a parade beginning at P.S. 304, at Hart Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard at 10:45 am. The procession will make its way down to Tompkins Park at Lafayette and Marcy Avenues. Borough President Marty Markowitz will be present and will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.Â
This Saturday, April 7th, at 12:00 noon, the League will conduct its Player Evaluation Day. The League is open to boys and girls, ages 4 to 13 years of age.  Michael Harris, Founder and Commissioner of the League, impressed upon me that no child is turned away from this league. Every child is welcomed and will have their opportunity at bat during the Home Run Derby. No one is turned away. Everyone who signs up is a winner, each participant receiving a trophy and gift card. The child with the most homeruns at the end of the season will receive a five foot trophy and gift card.Â
Last year, the Inner City Sports Bed-Stuy League was vandalized, with over $3,500 worth of equipment stolen or destroyed. Through fundraising efforts, and donations made often by anonymous benefactors, the equipment has been able to be replaced. Mr. Harris was moved and surprised by the outpouring of support and kindness shown by the community.
Mr. Harris started the Inner City Sports Bed-Stuy League five years ago with just 15 kids. It has grown to over 300 boys and girls on more than 15 teams. Mr. Harris would like to thank all of the League’s supporters and sends a special thanks to former Yankee, Gary Sheffield, who actively supports the League.
Come join Mr. Harris and the Inner City Sports Bed-Stuy Little League Saturday, April 7th at noon, and opening day, April 21st beginning with the parade at 10:45. Root, root, root for the home team!!!
06 April 2007, 10:24 am
This sounds wonderful, I’ll tell my relatives w/ children about it. I think it is a mistake to call it “Inner City” however. I say this because that label was put on our communities and we do not have to embrace it. At this point the connotations will keep away newer, more affluent residents. I am not defending this, but it is a reality. It breaks my heart that people would steal from children but at the same time I am lifted by the kindness of the community’s response.
06 April 2007, 11:47 am
That is a good point. Perhaps when Mr. Harris founded the league five years ago, Bed-Stuy was very much considered inner city. As for the vandalism, I originally thought the property was stolen, but when I heard much of it was destroyed, well that made no sense to me. Particularly since Mr. Harris describes this league as being all-inclusive of children, thinking that maybe kids who may have not made the team were upset. Thankfully all the equipment was replaced and the season will go ahead as scheduled.
06 April 2007, 9:10 pm
Zengine,
I guess what I meant is that inner city is a simple short hand–a euphemism–for ghetto. Park Slope & Kew Gardens are in the city too, yet not inner city.
07 April 2007, 9:31 pm
thank you so much for posting this! i have a young ballplayer in the house who’s still a couple of years away from being little-league eligible, but it’s great to know that this league is waiting when the time comes.
07 April 2007, 9:36 pm
p.s. the link to the league’s website is formatted wrong….
12 April 2007, 12:50 pm
Hey Mama, thanks for the heads up on the link! I’ve corrected it and now should take you to their website!
12 April 2007, 12:54 pm
Hi Leah, I understood your reference. I was hoping Michael Harris could respond to that. I’ve forwarded the link to the post to him. His sister, Maree’ Armstead, commented on the follow up posting “Tompkins Park: Baseball, Bunnies & Bread“.
24 March 2008, 1:40 pm
My son is very interested in playing little league baseball. I think we need more programs like this for our children.
24 March 2008, 1:44 pm
I think this is a very good program for our children. More programs like these should be available for our children. I’m looking forward to bringing my son out to the game.