For decades, Harlem has been recognized as one of New York City’s basketball meccas. From Rucker Park to the legendary blacktop tournaments that have produced playground royalty, basketball has become embedded in the neighborhood’s identity. But there was a time when baseball had a serious home Uptown, too.
Before the New York Giants left the Polo Grounds for San Francisco following the 1957 season, Major League Baseball was played right in Harlem’s backyard. Nearly 70 years later, Hall of Famer and Yankees legend CC Sabathia is among those trying to make sure another generation of Harlem kids gets introduced to the game.
This past weekend, Sabathia and his wife, Amber Sabathia, brought their PitCCh In Foundation youth baseball camp to the newly renovated Brigadier General Charles Young Playground in Harlem. The camp, held for boys and girls in grades 1-8, was supported by ProCamps, Next In Line Group and G3 Marketing.
CC and Amber were actively involved with the kids throughout the event, continuing the hands-on approach that has defined PitCCh In since the couple founded the organization in 2008. Youth baseball clinics, field renovations and educational initiatives have remained central to its mission.
The location couldn’t have been more appropriate. Brigadier General Charles Young Playground recently underwent an $11 million transformation, turning what had been a deteriorating dirt field into a 150,000-square-foot synthetic-turf athletic facility. PitCCh In was among the organizations that helped fund the redevelopment, with Sabathia committing $500,000 early in the project.
“This field represents opportunity, resilience, and community—values that shaped me growing up and continue to inspire me today,” Sabathia said when the renovated facility opened.
The instructional clinics gave some youngsters their first legitimate exposure to baseball, teaching the fundamentals of throwing, catching, hitting and fielding. The kids also received instruction from baseball personnel connected with The Players Alliance, including Todd Isaacs, Will Fantroy and Junior Lewis, bringing experienced baseball voices directly into a community where access to the game remains every bit as important as interest.
The goal is to make picking up a bat and glove another legitimate option for the kid who might otherwise never discover that baseball could be his or her game. Sabathia knows something about what that opportunity can become. The Vallejo, California native went from youth baseball to a 19-year Major League career, 251 victories, a Cy Young Award, a World Series championship with the Yankees and, ultimately, induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
If this weekend was any indication, the kids are ready. Sometimes you just have to give them a field, put a glove in their hands and let baseball do the rest.
