Two groups pitch in to revive baseball for youth in the city

By John Bassetti

One Youngstown resident decried the state of inner-city baseball here.

YOUNGSTOWN — Reasons for the demise of inner-city baseball in the last 10 years are complex, yet clear-cut.

The Uptown Kiwanis Little League that faded into the sunset early in the new millennium was succeeded by the Youngstown Baseball Association, but the venture has been shaky.

“It’s been an uphill battle to attract and keep youth,” says Victor Morales, a longtime league official who seems to have been the glue keeping the sport alive in some of the city’s poorest sections.

The Youngstown Police Athletic League, which arrived on the scene to organize a basketball program last year, has stepped up to the plate for the baseball season, lending its personnel.

The decline from a once-vibrant Gibson Field in the summertime to a shift in location for youth baseball stems, in large part, from a societal problem.

Those such as Morales and YPAL are reaching out to the underprivileged, but those who need the help the most should be helping themselves.

Here’s a baseball analogy: A volunteer can provide a bat and put it in the hand of a kid, but that volunteer can’t swing it for that kid. Nor should the volunteer run for him or her.

That’s because the child needs or needed some adult to be the driving force in their life.

Sound too philosophical?

Tell that to the Youngstown Police Athletic League and MYCAP (Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Program), both of which are trying to provide an organized sport for inner-city youth as the summer approaches.

Chief Jimmy Hughes is YPAL’s president and Ed Colon is its executive director.

Morales, who dedicated many years to the Uptown League and its successor, the YBA, bent over backward to resurrect the program in recent years.

He had about 200 players last summer, but, as of last week, only 120 youth signed up.

By contrast, the Mill Creek Junior League, on the West Side, is much more viable with 49 teams and about 700 kids, according to Mill Creek president Bill Helsel.

There’s no doubt the demographics and differences of the other three sides of town are factors, but YPAL registration is free.

In the past, Morales and other league volunteers dealt with problems that may have driven potential business away, including the threat of gangs and concession stand break-ins.

The YPAL will play at West End fields this season.

A recent Associated Press story preceding the Civic Rights Games in Memphis late last month reported that Major League Baseball officials in diversity positions are concerned about re-attracting black youth to the game.

Right now, 9 percent of MLB players are black.

“It will be up to Major League Baseball to lead the effort,” said New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya.

Youngstown’s Mark Brown remembers the Kiwanis League, but decried the current state of inner-city baseball.

“It was the premier little league program, but, somehow, went in the crapper, which is an absolute tragedy,” he said.

Brown, now 53, played for Royal Oaks, but recalled former major leaguer Kenny Smith.

“He was one of the tremendous talents at Gibson,” Brown said of the former East High standout in the 1980s, who played for the Atlanta Braves.

Brown said he attempted to get a glimpse of the Gibson Field area recently, but, after turning off of South Avenue onto Williamson, found the section of street leading to the ballfield blocked off.

“What happened is a sin, especially after the time and money spent on fencing.”

Brown felt that some of the blame falls on the parents.

“I don’t want to sound negative, but as it was beginning to fade away, it was almost becoming a baby-sitting service,” he said of waiting for players’ rides after practices or games before, in some cases, having to drive the children home. “It just got to be a sad, sad situation.”

Brown moved up to coach Babe Ruth baseball which, at the time, had seven teams in the 13-year-old division and another 10 for 14- and 15-year-olds.

With that perspective, Brown, who was also the Youngstown Babe Ruth treasurer, wonders why one league can’t survive, while another finds sponsorship.

“Even in an economically tough area, how could the inner-city not have little league in one sector, yet another [Mill Creek] is flourishing. Why Gibson couldn’t make a go of it, I don’t know. To see where it is today is painful.”

YPAL baseball at West End will also include T-ball and softball.

“It’s open to anyone,” Morales said. “We’ll take kids from outlying communities,” he said, noting that he had two kids from Warren sign up.

“All they have to supply is their birth certificate and have parents or guardians sign; we’ll take care of uniforms and insurance. I do it to keep kids busy and give them something safe.”

Morales’ opinion of obstacles to attracting youth are clear: “They’re not exposed to baseball early; it’s just football and basketball. They’ve got to be educated to the sport of baseball, which is what we want to do.”

YPAL’s Colon says he wants to keep programs free and available year-long.

“Losing contact after a season is bad for the bond built up,” he said of the importance of an ongoing relationship between authorities and youth.

Colon has joined forces with Youngstown State University to secure donations and equipment.

A major event will be during the YSU softball team’s doubleheader against Wright State at McCune Park in Canfield, April 12 at 1 p.m. That’s when used aluminum bats, balls and other equipment could be donated.

“Somebody donated 30 batting helmets for girls already,” Morales said.

MYCAP’s contribution is equally important to the program’s success.

Jason Roller, who directs the food service department for the head start program and is its youth enrichment manager, echoed Colon’s statement about putting money into youth programs and keeping kids involved year-round.

“We’re excited about developing relationships beyond sports. Want to strengthen relations between youth and police. “We thought supporting the mentoring aspect of YPAL’s work to make sure kids stay in school was important and we wanted to be part of that.”

Roller said MYCAP has shifted its focus to augment existing organizations and programs rather than implementing new ones.

The Volney youth football league is an example.

“Rather than trying to establish a new league — one that’s been around for 50 years and serves about 600 kids — we want to have the greatest impact on the most kids,” he said.

Roller said that formulating relationships with other sports programs within the city and with outlying communities brings racial stereotyping as baggage. It’s an impediment to building bonds, but it shouldn’t be.

“Race does play a part when dealing with inner-city youth, but the stereotypes that accompany that, in most cases, aren’t correct. Kids usually find a way to get along. It’s when you introduce adults, that differences come about.”

In the future, Roller said, he’d welcome the opportunity to play against the Mill Creek League’s teams.

“Once YPAL gets up and running and is viable and they see some good kids and good coaching, that will be helpful, too,” he said. “Our goal is to be able to do some things together. I think that’s achievable — kids from varying backgrounds could learn from sports.”