MD/AAU Baseball CITYWIDE1380 LEAGUE – A Big Hit in Season One!

“Urban Initiative Project” Brings AAU Baseball to Inner-City Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- On Saturday, April 30, 2011, AAU Baseball threw its first pitch in inner-city Baltimore as the start of the newly-envisioned CITYWIDE1380 Baseball League was underway. Featuring 80 feet base paths and 54 feet pitching mound distance for players 13 years old and younger, the newly-formed league was sanctioned under the National AAU Baseball Travel League for Recreation and Parks teams program. The league is designed as a stepping-stone for young players advancing from the little league field (60 feet base paths, 46 feet pitching distance) but not yet ready for the larger 90 feet big league diamond.

The CITYWIDE1380 league gives young aspiring players the chance to develop physically as well as increase their skill level, baseball fundamentals, and knowledge of the game on a mid-size field. And even though baseball is a game where the skill level is difficult to master, the excitement level is easy to see because youngsters play baseball for fun. They hit. They run. They pitch. They catch. They throw. Safe or out? Ball or strike? And all the drama is played out on their very own “Field of Dreams.”

MD/AAU Baseball ADMIN Committee, in partnership with the Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks, hosted the league’s inaugural season at the baseball sports complex at Carroll Park on Washington Boulevard in Baltimore City—official home site for the league. The brand new CITYWIDE1380 league committed to re-energizing the popularity of baseball in the inner-city targeting an untapped age group of young players. Landmark teams included the James Mosher Baseball Astros, Elite Giants Boys’ Club (EGBC) Giants, Baltimore Lions, and Bluford-Drew-Jemison S.T.E.M. Academy Rockets – a friendly mix of culture, diversity, history, and passion for the game of baseball and young people playing baseball.

CITYWIDE1380 league champion and gold medal winner James Mosher Astros, coached by Head Coach Todd Henson and assistants Coach Toby Henson and Coach James Miles, represented one of the oldest (50+ years) and most dedicated youth baseball programs in Baltimore for inner-city youngsters. The silver medal winning Baltimore Lions’ squad featured a mix of Hispanic and minority youngsters led by Coach Teo Pichardo and his staff, bringing a Latin-American style of baseball to the league. The EGBC Giants, coached by Head Coach Larry Monroe and assistants Coach Brandon Grooms and Coach Devin Jones, represented another youth baseball program with deep roots in Baltimore City sandlot baseball (circa 1972), won the bronze medal finishing in third place. The Bluford-Drew-Jemison S.T.E.M. Academy Rockets, winners of the copper medal and coached by Head Coach Damion Tucker and Coach Camille Moore, consisted of student-athletes representing the top charter school’s middle school program.

The CITYWIDE1380 league was created under MD/AAU Baseball’s “Urban Initiative Project” as a league whose primary goal focused on developing players of similar skill sets, abilities and age as players could not turn 14 years old before May 1st. In addition, the league could enhance the talents and baseball IQ of those experienced players by offering a quality brand of baseball – AAU Baseball. Also, coaches (and parents) could use the league as a tool for crafting personal qualities of commitment, sportsmanship, character, and responsibility, understanding that attitudes do indeed shape futures. Baseball is a fun sport that bonds children with parents and other family members, and seals friendships.

The CITYWIDE1380 league hosted its end-of-regular season play-off championship tournament, designated as the MD/AAU Baseball 13U Championships by MD/AAU District officials. The medal-round games were held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at Carroll Park. National AAU District Championship medals were awarded to all players and coaches based on the team’s finish: GOLD –James Mosher Astros; SILVER – Baltimore Lions; BRONZE – EGBC Giants; COPPER – BDJSA Rockets. In addition, individual trophies celebrating the league’s inaugural season were presented to each player and coach as a keepsake. Other friends and supporters of the league also received the commemorative trophy as a token of appreciation. CITYWIDE1380 league tee-shirts displaying the season’s logo on the front with team names on the back were distributed to all four clubs for players and coaches as an added bonus and league promotion.

As a challenge to, and for, the league’s talented athletes, coaches nominated players from their teams to compete in the inaugural CITYWIDE1380 “Top Prospects” all-star game at Carroll Park on Saturday, June 11, 2011. A mix of talented young players represented their respective clubs in the match-up between the American and National squads. A chance for the best to play against, and with, the best to determine who really is the best. Players selected for the game received trophies as a reward for their contributions to the early success of the league in quality play and quality talent.

Many thanks to Mr. Tyrone Hill (umpire-in-chief) and his umpiring crew for a job well done. The umpires played a very significant and supportive role in the development of the players on the field, the coaches in the dugout, and even the fans in the stands. MD/AAU Baseball extends special thanks to MD/AAU District officials led by Governor Ben DuBose, and Baltimore City Council President Bernard “Jack” Young, for their encouragement and assistance in making possible this introduction of National AAU Baseball to Baltimore City, and in particular to at-risk, inner-city youngsters. All participants, athletes and non-athletes, were current AAU members prior to participating in the league adding over 60 registrations to MD/AAU District membership figures.

The league extends much appreciation to the many parents, relatives, friends, fans, administrators, groundskeepers, and those just passing through Carroll Park for helping to make CITYWIDE1380 once an idea a reality – PLAY BALL.

Next Game – Saturday, April 14, 2012