GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Spring means baseball and there's a special program helping to level the playing field for kids who want to take a crack at the sport.
The Ted Rasberry Youth League offers boys and girls in first through eighth grade the chance to play baseball, softball, or T-Ball, free of charge.
"They have access to all of the equipment they need to play baseball so they don't have to purchase anything," explained Allison Sides, Sports Director at David D. Hunting YMCA. "They also receive a jersey, baseball pants, and a Whitecaps hat. So when it comes to game time, they do really feel like they're part of a real team."
During the season, participants practice and play games on four area baseball fields: Ted Rasberry Field, Richmond Park, Riverside Park, and MLK Park.
The program is named after Ted Rasberry, a man who broke barriers and made baseball history in Grand Rapids.
"[He was one] of the most famous people to come out of Grand Rapids in the baseball community. He moved to Grand Rapids back in the 1930s and played for the Black Sox, right here in the city. He ended up owning the Black Sox as well. And then he played in the Negro American League," Sides told FOX 17. "He's been involved in a lot of integration and anti-poverty efforts throughout Grand Rapids in his time here, and just really cared about making sure that baseball was accessible to anybody and everybody in our community,"
The YMCA program honors Rasberry's legacy by making the sport accessible to all kids who want to "play ball".
"There's a lot of joy that comes out of this program. Seeing some of these kids have never played baseball before... seeing them walk out onto a field and not knowing how to put a glove on and then by the end of the season, they have their own glove, and they're excited to come back the next year, is just really exciting for our staff," said Sides. "They're obviously learning the game of baseball, but they're learning so much more."
The nine-week season runs from June through August.
Thanks to sponsors like Meijer, the West Michigan Whitecaps and Lake Michigan Credit Union, kids receive free meals at practices/games, a glove, and the chance to attend a Whitecaps game for free.
Registration for the 2024 season opens on Monday, March 4.
To learn more, click here.
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