MLB’s “Play Ball Weekend” Comes to Curve, PA

CURVE, PA – From youth leagues to the Big Leagues, the baseball & softball universe will celebrate the love of the game shared among youth the world all over through “PLAY BALL WEEKEND.” PLAY BALL WEEKEND is a global effort to inspire participation in baseball and softball through activities hosted by MLB, MiLB & Partner League Clubs as well as MLB’s international offices throughout the world, beginning on Friday, June 9th and lasting through Sunday, June 11th.

Altoona will participate in Play Ball Weekend, a FREE youth clinic on Saturday, June 10 at Mansion Park Baseball Field, located at 240 N Logan Blvd in Altoona. The clinic is for children ages 4-12 and will take place from 12-2 p.m. Registration can be made here.

The first 200 participants registered will receive a special Franklin ball and bat set as well as a commemorative T-shirt.

A primary focus of PLAY BALL WEEKEND will be connecting with youth from different backgrounds, while closing equity gaps to accessing the game and encouraging kids, families and communities to PLAY all summer long. The eclectic nature of the activities across the globe will include skills competitions (Pitch, Hit & Run; Jr. Home Run Derby), field & youth league takeovers, special clinics, and more. Professional players at all different levels will participate in many of the activities. Kids will represent a variety of groups, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, Miracle League, Little League and many others. All Club-led programs that have open registration can be found at MLB.com/playballweekend.

Below are quick snapshots of all the different ways baseball and softball will be celebrated the entire weekend:

- All 30 MLB Clubs: Whether they are playing at home or on the road, every Major League Club will host special PLAY BALL Weekend activities in their communities and/or at their ballparks. Clubs are partnering with both local and national baseball and softball partners to incorporate programming that is uniquely suited to their markets. A rundown of MLB Club PLAY BALL WEEKEND activities can be seen at MLB.com/playballweekend.

- All 120 MiLB & Partner League Clubs: All 120 Minor League Baseball teams, as well as more than two dozen Partner League Clubs will participate, either in their home stadium or at a local youth field. Teams will conduct PLAY BALL clinics, youth baseball and softball tournaments, and special ballpark experiences for kids. For all Minor League PLAY BALL WEEKEND activities, please visit this link.

Globally:

- Egypt – On June 10-11 “Because Baseball,” which operates baseball programming in Egypt (including an official RBI program in association with MLB), will host Egyptian youth from Cairo to learn from a team of coaches whose experience ranges from being former pro players, coaches, MLB executives and college baseball.

- Asia – Major League Baseball’s offices in Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, Beijing, China, and Gurugram, India, are hosting youth baseball & softball activities throughout the weekend.

- North America – See above from MLB & MiLB Club activities, which also will include significant support from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, USA Baseball & USA Softball

Additional Partners:

- Franklin Sports – Through the long-term partnership with the family-owned and Boston-based licensee, over 50,000 PLAY BALL bat and ball sets will be dispersed to youngsters throughout the course of PLAY BALL Weekend.

- U.S. Conference of Mayors – Since 2015, the U.S. Conference of Mayors have been key supporters with customized, community based “Mayor’s PLAY BALL” events that revolve around fun, non-traditional play and skills building.

- Diamond Kinetics – As part of PLAY BALL WEEKEND, MLB is bringing the Big Leagues to the backyard through Diamond Kinetics, a digital platform that turns practice into play. DK’s new in-app MLB “PLAY BALL” mission will challenge kids to complete PLAY BALL-inspired games and guided hitting drills to unlock exclusive in-app content and rewards, including MLB-themed badges. Diamond Kinetics is the “Trusted Youth Development Platform of Major League Baseball.” Learn more at www.diamondkinetics.com.

As an additional vehicle to promote the spirit of PLAY BALL WEEKEND among young people, MLB will highlight “digital diamonds” that creatively illustrates in fun ways how any field, blacktop or sandlot can become a playing space for baseball and softball. The digital PLAY BALL diamonds were created to grab young people’s attentions by reimagining playing spaces as a Pinball Park, Superhero Field and an Obstacle Arcade where video games meet the National Pastime. Fans can see these digital diamonds @PlayBall’s social media platforms on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

“At the midpoint of our calendar year, PLAY BALL WEEKEND is an opportunity for our sport to celebrate the kids, families and communities that provide the foundation for the lifelong love of our game,” said Tony Reagins, Chief Baseball Development Officer, Major League Baseball. “The enthusiasm from the teams, partners and youth groups for this weekend is a great indication of how well-received this initiative has been for our global youth baseball & softball community. We are excited to see all the smiling faces and fun experiences in ballparks across the country and in communities around the globe.”

Altoona returns to Peoples Natural Gas Field on Tuesday, June 20 to begin a seven-game series with the Bowie Baysox at 6:00 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.