Tigers visit schools as part of 'Play Baseball Detroit'

05/19/2008 7:14 PM ET
Tigers encourage baseball in inner city
Players visit schools as part of 'Play Baseball Detroit' program
By Scott McNeish / MLB.com

DETROIT -- The answers painted an obvious picture, a crystal-clear portrait displaying the problem and the need for the Tigers to embark on this mission.

"How many balls does a player get before he gets a walk?" the host asked.

"Three," a young student incorrectly replied.

"What player in the field always wears a mask?"

Not even a guess. Only confused silence and a horizontal head shake. Pass. Next question.

"What month is the World Series played?"

More silence. A few helpful hints came from the audience, but the student's face still bore a clueless stare.

"Say October," the host pleads, a heavy dose of kindness in his voice.

"Uh, is that it?"

"Say October."

"Um, October?"

This subject, baseball, which previous generations could discuss with ease, has become as perplexing to these kids as their algebra exams. But why?

The reason became clear later in the assembly, when the hosts and Tigers players asked students at five Detroit middle schools this spring to raise their hand if they play in a baseball or softball league. Slowly, as if ashamed, hands sprouted. Not many, though. Rare flowers in fields of orange Tigers T-shirts.

No wonder these kids couldn't recite baseball basics. Most people only know games they actually play.

The Tigers understand that. To correct it, they started the Play Baseball Detroit program, a series of school visits designed to promote baseball in the inner city and encourage students to join local baseball or softball leagues.

"We're not trying to make them play, or anything," Tigers marketing manager Ron Wade said. "We just want to show them that it's a great game, that it's a lot of fun to play, and show them places they can play. Then, hopefully, they'll decide to play."

The Tigers sent four players to five schools in late April and early May. Curtis Granderson visited University Preparatory Academy and Cervany Middle School. Marcus Thames visited Plymouth Educational Center, Gary Sheffield appeared at Earhart Middle School and former Tiger Jacque Jones ventured to Brenda Scott Middle School. Woody Woodriffe, a sports anchor at FOX 2 Detroit, and FM 98 WJLB disc jockey Dr. Darius alternated emcee duties.

Hundreds of students donning orange T-shirts with "Play Baseball Detroit" on the front and the Olde English D on the back flowed into gyms outfitted for the occasion by Wade and other Tigers front office members.

Seats with orange and navy blue pompoms on them bordered the area where the presentation took place. There were bunches of orange and blue balloons. Poster-sized photographs of Tigers players in action sat on wooden easels. More Tigers snapshots, blended with those of Little Leaguers in similar poses, were projected on a large video screen. In front of the screen and posters was a mock baseball field, with home plate nearest to the screen, the three bases going out toward the crowd. Music thumped from the speakers, causing clusters of students to stand and dance. The team mascot, Paws, danced with them when he wasn't prancing around the gym causing mischief.

As teachers scrambled to calm their students, an hour-long presentation began. It went the same at all schools.

"We're not just talking about a professional sport," Woodriffe told a buzzing crowd. "We're talking about you guys playing. We want you guys to have fun this summer. That's what we want. You can play it out on the sandlots, out of the ball fields. I used to play in a parking lot. It can be done anywhere. If you don't have enough people, well, when I played and we didn't have enough, right field was an out."

After a highlight video of the 2007 Tigers season came a highlight of the assembly, a game utilizing the mock baseball field called The Great Base Race.

A student from each of the three grades joined the emcee at home plate. One at a time, the students had a minute to answer baseball trivia questions. If they answered correctly, they ran around the bases and scored a run. The student that scored the most runs won the game and earned a pizza party for their entire grade.

"It gets them thinking about baseball, not just the Tigers," Wade said. "It's a reward for knowing baseball."

Wade followed the game by playing a Jackie Robinson DVD, the one shown at all Major League ballparks on Jackie Robinson Day, which features footage of Robinson mixed with commentary about his accomplishments from Major League players and coaches. At the conclusion of the video, Woodriffe asked a question.

"How many of you know somebody in a gang?" he said.

Several hands shot up. Some students even cheered.

"Jackie Robinson was once in a gang," Woodriffe continued. "He was in a gang, but got out of the gang. Do you know why? Because the gang didn't let him play baseball. The gang didn't let him do what he needed to do to get out of that situation. So, the lesson here is to get out of it now. Join another gang, join a team, join the Tigers, join a Little League team. That's the way to go."

Then came the Tigers players, who entered to booming roars and shaking pompoms.

Players talked about their transformation into big leaguers. They talked about the environments in which they grew up. They said playing baseball can be an outlet, a way to avoid the negativity surrounding the students, the gangs, the drugs, the crime.

"It's a way to make sure you stay out of trouble," Granderson preached. "Play sports. Play baseball. Do extracurriculars. It's a great way to have fun and keep out of trouble."

To close the presentation, students enrolled in a baseball or softball league could take a picture with the Tigers player at their school. The player and emcee first asked for enrolled students to raise their hands.

"Wow," Dr. Darius said, surveying the surprisingly low number.

"That's all?" Granderson said. "Come on, now."

Students with hands raised were asked to join the player and emcee in front of the crowd. The students -- 10 to 12 on average -- shook hands with the player and smiled for the cameras being snapped by Tigers front office members and Detroit newspaper photographers.

"You see," Woodriffe said, "this is the kind of opportunities playing baseball can get you. It's a great game, a great time. Give it a try."

Baseball interest in the inner city is down, but the Tigers believe they have the right answer. They aspire to paint a picture depicting baseball as a prominent youth activity again in this city.

Scott McNeish is an associate reporter for MLB .com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

The Tigers were scheduled to visit MY school but cancelled because most of them fell asleep playing cards in front of their lockers.....

I wish they woulda came to my school...