Major League Baseball Players Trust Takes Cleveland by “Storm”

  Cleveland, OH- On Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17, the Players Trust ascended upon the southern shore of Lake Erie, when the non-profit created and administered by Major Leaguers brought its Buses for Baseball and City Clinics programs to Cleveland, Ohio.   On Friday, fifty children from the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland attended that evening’s Indians game as the invited guests of players Cody Allen, John Axford and Justin Masterson.  Not only did the children receive free transportation and tickets to attend the game, compliments of the Players Trust, they showed up extra early to watch batting practice.   Sitting along the third base line, the children were able to spend some quality time chatting with the players, posing for photos and getting autographs. From there it was off to their seats to root on their hometown heroes as they battled the visiting Oakland Athletics.   On Saturday morning, despite darkening skies and a subsequent rain storm, 200 kids from the Canton Police Department/J. Babe Stearn Center, Boys & Girls Club of Lorain County and the Cleveland Baseball Federation attended the Players Trust’s second City Clinics event of the season. This free clinic, held at Brookside Park and hosted by the Players Trust, features personal coaching and one-on-one teaching from the energetic, instructional staff from Players Trust’s City Clinics partners, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.  Joining the group part way through the clinic were Indians players Scott Atchison, Mike Aviles, Michael Bourn and Josh Outman.  Unfortunately, around the same time, the rain began to fall, forcing the group to seek shelter at a nearby recreation center.  Turning lemons into lemonade, the players thrilled their young supporters by participating in a question and answer session and by posing for photos.   Needless to say, from the ballpark to the rec center, fun was had by all.   The Players Trust’s next stop is Wednesday, May 21 in Medford, MA for a City Clinic event featuring Boston Red Sox players. The Players Trust City Clinics program is generously underwritten by Majestic Athletic.