Spring baseball is in the air

Parks & Recreation, Feb, 2005

While the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox get ready to take the field, so can youngsters in your community. NRPA is partnering with Major League Baseball to provide grants to selected park and recreation agencies, so kids ages 7-14 can participate in the Pepsi Pitch, Hit & Run program, the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. Children will have the opportunity to display three fundamental baseball skills--pitching, hitting and running.

Participants also have the opportunity to advance through four levels of competition, including the National Finals at the 2005 All-Star Game in Detroit, Mich., but must first compete at a local competition that could be offered by their park and recreation department.

Entering its ninth season, the program is designed to provide youth across the country with an integrated competition that recognizes their baseball skills. In 2004, more than 3,000 local communities participated.

Local competitions begin nationwide on April 1, so those communities interested in receiving materials to host their own competition should contact Pitch, Hit & Run National Headquarters by phone at (770) 641-7519, by email at pitchhitrun@lejsports. corn or by visiting the NRPA Web site for registration information at www.nrpa.org.