USA – Major League Baseball (MLB) will introduce Wanna Play?, a new initiative intended to bring baseball activities to African-American communities. The program was launched on Saturday, June 20 at a youth-oriented event at Cincinnati’s Fountain Square.

The inaugural Wanna Play? event was a part of the Youth Summit that is an ancillary event to the 2009 Gillette Civil Rights Game featuring the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox at Great American Ball Park – the first regular season Civil Rights Game after two previous pre-season exhibition games.

A variety of baseball-related activities were available during the event, including batting and pitching cages, baserunning contests, wiffle ball games and demonstrations with current Cincinnati Reds Brandon Phillips and Jerry Hairston, Jr., former Reds outfielder Eric Davis and former All-Star and current MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds.

“The formation of Wanna Play? highlights everything that is great about Baseball-camaraderie, athleticism and fun,” said Jimmie Lee Solomon, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Major League Baseball. “The Gillette Civil Rights Game serves as a perfect backdrop as Major League Baseball takes this important step forward in expanding our relationship with the African-American community.”

“With all the interactive activities, Wanna Play? and the Youth Summit will be a fun way to expose every kid to baseball,” said Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips. “The Reds and Major League Baseball are putting together a great weekend of events surrounding the Civil Rights Game. While we look forward to teaching young fans about the game itself, it’s also important they learn the significant role baseball played in the Civil Rights Movement.”

For more information, please visit www.MLB.com/civilrightsgame.

Photo courtesy of memphis.redbirds.milb.com

Tags: Feature