'It's all about having fun' for local kids at Atlanta Play Ball event

ATLANTA – As Doug Palmer watched the kids play baseball, a smile came over his face. Palmer, a former mayor who works with Major League Baseball’s Play Ball initiative, has been to dozens of events like this one.

They never get old.

“Oh yeah, I laugh all the time, because you see some youngsters that don’t even know how to stand at home plate, but then they’re taught and then they enjoy it and then they hit the ball,” Palmer, the former mayor of Trenton, N.J., told MLB.com. “To see the joy on their faces is great – to see them running around and having fun. And it’s all about having fun and exposing them.”

On Friday in Atlanta, young kids from five summer camps under the City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation umbrella gathered for a day of fun at Southside Park’s sports complex. In the hot sun, they hit the ball, ran the bases and fielded as they learned the game from instructors. They laughed. They yelled. They had fun.

This Play Ball event, hosted by MLB and the United States Conference of Mayors, was part of All-Star Week, which leads into Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic at Truist Park. Nearly 500 Atlanta kids participated in Friday’s fun, which even ended with time to play in bouncehouses in the parking lot.

At Southside Park, the kids engaged in introductory-level baseball and softball activities meant to encourage greater accessibility to the game while also demonstrating that the sport can be played in almost any setting.

“Obviously, when we do jewel events like [the All-Star Game], we want to make sure that there’s outreach in the communities – we want to make sure that they have access to the game if they want to play baseball or softball,” said David James, MLB’s vice president of baseball and softball development. “Also, you want them to feel a part of All-Star Week. As you can tell, these kids are all wearing Play Ball shirts and everything like that, and you can tell, for some kids, that this is the first time they've had some success today and they’re excited.”

MLB’s objective – to expose kids to the game – perfectly aligns with the City of Atlanta’s goal. Ryan Christian, who heads youth baseball for the City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation’s athletics department, said accessibility is the division’s main objective.

“Our program here in the City of Atlanta is not one of the more expensive programs,” Christian said. “Our max registration fee is $75. So our biggest thing is inclusivity – eliminate those barriers of access for all the participants. If somebody is unable to pay, we have a sliding scale, too, so some kids may pay $5, some kids may pay $10 for a full season, uniforms, equipment and everything they need. We just want kids playing, active.”

In 2015, MLB and the United States Conference of Mayors teamed up to launch the Play Ball initiative, which exposes youth to baseball and encourages continued participation in the sport. The Mayors Play Ball Program is meant to introduce the game to kids who don’t normally play baseball and to help grow the love for the sport for those already playing it.

On days like Friday, when kids enjoyed baseball in the summer sun, that vision becomes reality.

“It’s very special because you have the whole community coming together,” Palmer said. “[Atlanta] Mayor Andre Dickens has done a great job, his staff has done a great job, and these kids are having a great time. We do this event at every All-Star Game city. Next year, we’ll be in Philadelphia, and hopefully that event is as nice as this. But it gives the kids an opportunity to learn about baseball, to play ball, have fun and get that energy going, which is the most important thing – and to expose them to this great game.”