July 5, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Major League Baseball slides in to Mt. Airy with $27,000 grant

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund, a foundation of Major League Baseball, recently announced that it has awarded Mt. Airy Baseball a grant of $27,000 to renovate the Pleasant Playground baseball field and to expand its program. The grant must be matched by nearly $22,000 in local funding.

Mt. Airy Baseball, now in its 21st year, asked The Baseball Tomorrow Fund last November for funding in response to the great demand in registration during the past three years. During this period, player registration was capped at 525 players due to the lack of field space at Mt. Airy Playground, the current home of Mt. Airy Baseball. The grant from Major League Baseball will allow Mt. Airy Baseball to include more than 100 additional kids in its program.

“We are excited to expand our program in order to serve more kids in and around Pleasant Playground in East Mt. Airy,” explained Mt. Airy Baseball Commissioner Dan Winterstein. “There is a real need to provide a safe environment for instruction and play and that is what we strive to do.”

Mt. Airy Baseball provides play and instruction to Philadelphia  boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 16. Since 1986, the league has grown from 20 players on two teams to more than 500 players in five age divisions, on 41 teams, playing 300 games each season. Mt. Airy Baseball is an all volunteer effort that receives operating funds through registration fees, concession stand revenues, sales of cheesecakes, pizzas and ice cream coupon books through small business/organizational sponsors.

A number of different sources have already contributed $12,000 towards the renovation of the Pleasant Playground baseball field, located at the corner of Chew Avenue and Pleasant Street in East Mt. Airy. Major contributors include State Senator Leanna Washington ($5,000), Kenny Goldenberg ($2,500), Trolley Car Diner & Ice Cream Shoppe ($3,000), Neimeyers ($1,500 in kind), and The City of Philadelphia ($1,500 in kind). Mt. Airy Baseball has to raise an additional $10,000 to complete renovations to the field. Improvements to the field will include new infield grass, new irrigator system, new dugouts, fencing and mower to maintain the field.

“Major League Baseball deserves real credit for helping us grow, serve and diversify our program,” said Mt. Airy Baseball board member and Concession Stand Coordinator Ken Weinstein. “This will allow all children in our community the opportunity to play and learn the great game of baseball.”