Dozens of 5th and 6th graders from Syracuse City Schools took a break from the classroom Friday to practice their swing, run bases and also bump into the Major League Baseball Commissioner at Burnet Park. Robert Manfred visited Syracuse today to celebrate the city's partnership with the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities Program (RBI) to promote wider participation in baseball and softball programs. RBI provides programmatic support from uniforms to coaches to training.
"The only disheartening think I heard here today is that there is only one high school baseball team in the city schools," Manfred said.
Henninger High School Senior Jeff Belge has been playing baseball for 10 years, and says the number of those playing the sport has been sliding. He hopes the RBI program gets kids interested.
"It's definitely an honor to come here to show the kids what awaits them for the future,"Belge said.
"I think it's really, really important for kids to see older people become successful in the game," Manfred said. "I do think older school children set an example for younger people."
Manfred says overall youth participation in baseball has increased by four percent because of the RBI program.
Clary Middle School Physical Education Teacher Steve Brice says he's encourage his students to play softball and to think about signing up for rallies.
"Baseball is kind of a forgotten sport in inner cities," Brice said. "It's a great thing we're trying to get them out and play America's game."
Commissioner Manfred says he hopes to see more diversity among MLB players. He says 25 percent of first round players last year were African American.