News

For Immediate Release

May 18, 2018

RED SOX PITCHER DAVID PRICE WILL HELP DISTRIBUTE BASEBALL GEAR TO RBI AND ROOKIE LEAGUE KIDS AT FENWAY PARK TOMORROW

BOSTON, MA – Red Sox Pitcher David Price will help hand out baseball gear to kids at Fenway Park tomorrow, Saturday, May 19, to launch the season start of the Red Sox Foundation’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) and Rookie League programs, which engage inner-city teenagers in baseball and softball.

The baseball and softball gear distribution will take place in Fenway Park’s Gate E area. The event begins at 10 a.m. with Price scheduled to hand out equipment from the Jordan’s Furniture baseball and softball equipment drive between 10:30 and 11 a.m. Wally the Green Monster will be on hand, and the 2013 World Series trophy will be available for photos.

RBI welcomes youth 9-18 years old to the game of baseball, and the Rookie League introduces youngsters 5-12 to the game. Last year, more than 1,600 boys and girls participated in the two programs, which are funded and operated by the Red Sox Foundation, and supported by Aramark, Franklin Sports, JetBlue, Neighborhood Health Plan, Regina Pizzeria, and Zipcar.

“The start of the RBI and Rookie League season is an exciting time for us,” said Red Sox Foundation Executive Director Bekah Salwasser. “One of our main goals with these programs is to provide inner-city kids with access to baseball and softball. But it’s not just about making an initial connection to the game, it’s also about building a lifelong relationship with baseball and the Red Sox. Having a star athlete like David Price take the time to launch our season will be a thrill for the kids, and an interaction that will certainly help build their love for the game and this team.”

Media interested in covering Saturday’s event must show station ID’s to gain entry. Media are asked to enter through Gate E.

About the Red Sox Foundation

The official team charity of the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation has donated to over 1,680 organizations since its creation in 2002, and focused on making a difference in the lives of children, families, Veterans, and communities in need by improving their  health, education, and recreational opportunities. Through partnerships with best-in-class organizations in healthcare, the Red Sox have helped raised over $135 million for cancer treatment and research for The Jimmy Fund, supported more than 15,000 Veterans and their families suffering from the “invisible wounds of war” with the Home Base Program, and helped the Dimock Center serve over 17,000 patients annually with health and human services. The Foundation’s self-run education and youth baseball programs have helped 274 Boston Public Schools students with college scholarships, and promotes healthy choices and valuable life skills to more than 700 urban youth annually through its RBI baseball and softball program.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Red Sox Foundation raises funds through special events, corporate sponsorships, and grants. Founded and initially funded by Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, President/CEO Emeritus Larry Lucchino and their partners, the Red Sox Foundation has won numerous awards for the impact of its innovative programs. In 2010, the Foundation’s Red Sox Scholars program was recognized by Major League Baseball with the first-ever “MLB Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence.” In 2009, the Red Sox Foundation was honored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Sports Philanthropy Project with the Patterson Award as the nation’s “Best Team Charity in Sports.”  For more information about the foundation, visit redsoxfoundation.org.

–RED SOX–