Cudos To RBI Baseball

2008 is the 20th anniversary of the unbelievably successful Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program. This program, sponsored by KPMG, with the support of Major League Baseball has grown from a local kids baseball program for boys in South Central Los Angeles to an international campaign that includes more than 200 cities. More than 120,000 young kids participants each year.

This program ws the brainchild of former Major League Baseball player and scout, John Young. His idea was to provide disadvantaged youth an opportunity to learn and enjoy the game of baseball. John grew up ins South Central LA at a time when the area developed many professional baseball players. However, by the late 1970s, John noted a remarkable decrease in the number of skilled athletes coming from his childhood area.

Young made the decision to take on the task of reviving baseball in South Central LA. He introduced a comprehensive youth baseball program for 13 to 16 year olds.

Major League Baseball endorsed the RBI concept and financial support came from MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the City of Los Angeles. While the youth of Los Angeles were initially a little skeptical -- only 11 showed up for the first tryout -- they gradually began to embrace RBI, and 180 kids participated the first season. It is now an international phenomenon.

The rest of the story is history. Cudos go out to John, Major League Baseball and KPMG for continuing to provide young people with a positive, team-oriented activity that would keep them off the streets and challenge them mon while challenging them mentally and physically.