FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 June 15, 2010

YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
HEADING TO MLB ALL-STAR WEEK FOR JR. RBI CLASSIC

Friendly Round-Robin Tournament will be held July 9-12 on Fields throughout Anaheim Area
Major League Baseball will host the second annual Jr. RBI Classic, a friendly 40-game tournament consisting of eight baseball and four softball teams comprised of youth ages 11-12 from around the world, during 2010 MLB All-Star Week in Anaheim and surrounding areas. In 2009, Major League Baseball launched Jr. RBI as an expansion of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) presented by KPMG program.

Following are the RBI programs (and cities) participating in this year’s Jr. RBI Classic:

Angels RBI (Orange County, CA) – Baseball and Softball

Boys & Girls Club of Oakland RBI (Oakland, CA) – Baseball

Chicago Cubs Softball RBI (Chicago, IL) – Softball

Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente RBI (Carolina, Puerto Rico) – Softball

Louisiana RBI (Baton Rouge, LA) – Baseball

Minnesota Twins RBI (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) – Baseball

Marlins RBI (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL) – Baseball

Milwaukee Boys & Girls Club/Brewers RBI (Milwaukee, WI) – Baseball

Nobu Yamauchi RBI (Hilo, HI) – Softball

San Diego Jr. RBI (San Diego, CA) – Baseball

West Michigan Whitecaps/YMCA RBI (Grand Rapids, MI) – Baseball

“The RBI program’s mission is to provide young people in underserved communities with opportunities to play baseball and softball.  The creation of Jr. RBI has allowed Major League Baseball to positively impact the lives of a larger group of young players,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball.  “This trip to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be an educational experience that will offer these young people with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”  In addition to the games, the youth will be participating in FanFest Legends clinics; will receive uniforms, equipment and All-Star Game apparel; and will attend MLB All-Star Week events including the XM All-Star Futures Game, Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game and the State Farm Home Run Derby. 

In 2009, Major League Baseball launched the Jr. RBI playing divisions of the RBI presented by KPMG program to provide opportunities for young people ages 5 to 12 in underserved communities to play baseball and softball. The RBI program is designed to provide opportunities to play baseball and softball, teach the value of teamwork and encourage academic success.  With the addition of Jr. RBI and the continued growth of the overall RBI program – together equaling increased opportunities for underserved youth around the world – the RBI program has seen a substantial amount of growth over the past year.  Overall, the RBI program had a 35% increase in the number of leagues around the world and an 18% increase in participants. 

In 2010, there are projected to be more than 300 RBI leagues and 175,000 participants in more than 200 cities around the world. Of these, Jr. RBI currently has over 50,000 kids playing baseball and softball. For more information please visit http://www.mlb.com/rbi. 

About the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 81st Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 13th in Anaheim and will feature the best of the American League taking on the top players of the National League. Building up to the excitement of the All-Star Game, Major League Baseball will conduct a wide variety of special events and charitable activities for fans both inside and outside of Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Atthe ballpark, the events will include Taco Bell All-Star Sunday on Sunday, July 11 featuring the XM All-Star Futures Game and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, and Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on Monday, July 12 featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio. Outside of the ballpark, fans will have an opportunity to experience All-Star Summer through a variety of special events including Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest, the five-day interactive fan festival; the All-Star Game Charity 5K & Fun Run presented by Sports Authority and Nike, a charity run/walk on a baseball-themed route to benefit four cancer organizations; and the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevy, a free parade of All-Stars through the streets of Anaheim, which will be broadcast on MLB Network. The Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally on FOX, broadcast on ESPN Radio and will be shown around the world by Major League Baseball International. For more information about 2010 All-Star Summer, visit www.AllStarGame.com.

Contact: Dan Queen or Steve Arocho, Major League Baseball, (212) 931-7878