In Recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, Youth to Play The Neighborhood Game Popular in the Local Community

As With All 'PLAY BALL' Events, Kids Will Leave Event with a Free Plastic Bat & Ball, T-Shirts and Wristbands

WHAT: Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees, in partnership with the New York Emperors Stickball League (NYESL) and the 161st Street Business Improvement District, will host a 'PLAY BALL: Stickball' event on Saturday, September 23rd in the Bronx, N.Y. The event, which is in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, will be held in the streets just outside of Yankee Stadium and feature youth participants from the New York Emperors Stickball League and other local youth organizations. Approximately 60 kids will run through stickball-centered stations, including batwrapping, agilities, grounders, an instructional Stickball game and more. Additionally, each participant will receive a bat & ball set, PLAY BALL-branded t-shirts and wristbands to take home. Stickball, a modified game of baseball played with a broomstick and rubber ball, is a popular game within the Latino community in the Northeast region of the United States.
 
WHO: Tony Reagins - Senior Vice President, Youth Programs, Major League Baseball
Brian Smith - Senior Vice President, Corporate and Community Relations, New York Yankees
Jennifer Lippold - New York Emperors Stickball League
WHERE: River Avenue (Between 158th Street and 161st Street), Bronx, NY 10451
WHEN: Saturday, September 23rd, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET
 
About PLAY BALL

The PLAY BALL initiative is MLB's collective effort to encourage young people and communities to participate in baseball- or softball-related activities, including formal leagues, events and casual forms of play. PLAY BALL events have become MLB's signature youth engagement activity during the professional and amateur baseball and softball calendar, including key dates throughout the MLB offseason and into the World Series. PlayBall.org is the PLAY BALL initiative's online home and is accessible via MLB.com, SABaseball.com, USASoftball.com and other partner websites. PlayBall.org features youth-oriented content, including baseball trivia and quizzes, and video highlights from MLB games, social media content, photos and a "PlayBall Near You" interactive map that locates local community leagues. The site also features access to video podcasts and highlights from MLB Network's youth-focused show "Play Ball," which features interviews and on-field demonstrations with top players throughout the League. PlayBall.org also links to USABaseball.com, which provides players, parents and coaches with the information and resources to help with proper play and

instruction, including education videos featuring Hall of Famer and MLB Network analyst John Smoltz, Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon, and Kansas City Royals Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Dayton Moore, among others. Health and safety information, including through the Pitch Smart program, also is available. PLAY BALL is generously supported by Chevrolet, Scotts and Nathan's.