The Rise and Fall of Baseball in D.C.
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2011-04-20/rise-and-fall-baseball-dc
Guest Host:
Marc Fisher
Major League Baseball returned to the District six years ago this month. But having a "big league" team in town hasn't done much to boost the numbers of young people playing the game -- only four Little Leagues fielded teams in last year's D.C. championship tournament. We explore what's behind baseball's decline with young people in D.C., and whether the city can claim to be a "baseball town."
Guests
Eddie Smith
Head Baseball Coach, Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.)
Brendan Sullivan
Executive Director, Headfirst Camps; Former Player, San Diego Padres Organization
Dave Zirin
Sports Editor, The Nation; Author, "Bad Sports: How Owners Are Ruining the Games We Love" (Scribner); author, "A People's History of Sports in the United States" (New Press)
Comments
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I'm not a baseball fan; but my 4 year old daughter is. Frankly, I despise the monopolistic culture of MLB and the NFL. I'd much rather go watch DC United, which seems to care about the city and community. The fact that MLB has essentially cultivated a suburban, right-of-center image for years and years doesn't help.
But it's the family-friendly infrastructure at Nationals Park that draws my daughter: the playground, the bike valet, etc, etc... So you've got at least one family going there due to this stuff. At least until I can sell her on soccer.
This whole narrative about baseball in DC is really getting old and fails to acknowledge or reward or even recognize the tremendous job being done in the district in growing baseball both pre and post nationals. The MLB RBI program Jr team went to the World Series Last year and featured two Wilson baseball players. The team was one of the most diverse youth baseball teams you'll find with boys from all over the DMV. Baseball in general at the youth level is more regional than city focused because of travel teams which do not limit participation to a neighborhood, city or county. DC has at least 4 players by my count that are playing in the minor leagues who all played youth baseball right here in the Nations Capitol. Strike 1-No mention of 3 new leagues created in the city in just the last 3 years. Come On!!!!!!!! Strike 2-Not one inner city coach or volunteer as guest? Booooooooo. I am disappointed. There was no light shed in the entire hour long program. Strike 3- No mention of the fact that DC has hosted youth baseball tournaments in the last years that have attracted teams from the suburbs to our fields. Memorial Day and Stars & Stirkes.
Maybe you'll take the time to prepare a story and outline the efforts and many successes in your next at bat.
Thanks
Paris Inman
District #3 Little League District Administrator - Washington DC Little Leagues
301-674-2033 cell
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