Summer collegiate baseball and community involvement go hand-in-hand. The motivation often starts with building a brand, but the impact happens nonetheless – clinics, fundraising opportunities, reading weeks with local schools.
The D.C. Grays want to build their brand, too, but they want to do it largely so they can make an even bigger community impact.
The Cal Ripken Collegiate League organization has made community part of its core mission. Stationed in Ward 7 of Washington, the Grays are doing whatever they can to grow baseball in the city and provide opportunities for youngsters who may not have many. They run clinics and camps. They sponsor a nearby middle school’s baseball team. And this summer, they’re running the Washington chapter of Major League Baseball’s RBI program, which aims to bring the sport to inner cities.
It’s a lot for an organization of volunteers to manage, but the franchise’s founders have assembled a group of like-minded people to make it work. They love baseball. And they love doing their part to help it grow.
Along the way, the summer collegiate team plays pretty good baseball. Tonight was the regular season finale. The Grays missed the playoffs, but several of their players will hook on as late-season reinforcements in the Cape League.
Their time in D.C. will go down as a good step in their baseball careers. And they’ll likely remember more than just the baseball.