Unity in the Community

Brent Suter, Nick Martinez, Brady Singer and Tony Santillan took on the Cincinnati Zoo during their off day on June 5 for “Reds Day at the Zoo.”

The event opened with the pitchers and their families getting the opportunity to pet and bathe Mai Thai, the zoo’s 52-year-old Asian elephant. The pitchers then took part in a Q&A session, answering a variety of questions from kids in the audience. Afterward, kids were able to get autographs from all four pitchers.

“[We] just love everything about the Cincinnati Zoo,” Suter said. “They've been nothing short of incredible when it comes to helping with community relations with the Reds and some other programs we've had going, like community guards and all that. [I] love the zoo, love everything they do and stand for. Being able to spend an off day here with the kiddos is magical.”

The Reds Community Fund celebrated 19 seniors from the RBI Program with a signing day event on Tuesday, June 3. The signing day class is the largest that program has ever seen.

Tuesday’s celebration of the soon-to-be college athletes marks the ninth signing day class that RBI has produced. With commitments to Wilberforce University, Heidelberg University and Bluffton University among others, all 19 student-athletes are focused on continuing their athletic and educational careers.

“Year in and year out, this is one of the most important days of the year. It is ceremonial in many ways but it is also a yardstick for us to measure our progress,” Reds Community Fund Executive Director Charley Frank said. “We are in the business of baseball and softball. The youth academy is obviously a huge part of that, but these 19 young people are literally the outcome we’re most proud of.”

Before Tuesday night’s scheduled game, pitcher Andrew Abbott held a meet & greet and provided dinner in appreciation for the police officers who work the games and keep fans and players safe at Great American Ball Park.

Abbott spoke to and thanked the group of about 30 officers before signing autographs and taking photos. He also had Skyline Chili and Penn Station catered for the policemen to enjoy.

“I have the utmost respect for these guys. They’re out there protecting everybody, including myself,” Abbott said. “I just thought it would be nice to highlight some of the good that they do which people might disregard. They hold a near and dear place in my heart, I know a lot of the cops in my hometown. So a little recognition every now and then can go a long way.”

Jeimer Candelario, Santiago Espinal, TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer and Jose Trevino visited Seacrest Studios at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on Tuesday.

The players met with patients and held a Q&A, played a game, signed autographs and posed for photos.

Madisonville Field, home to Shroder High School and the longstanding Madisonville Braves and Lady Braves organizations, is the most recent beneficiary of the Reds Community Fund’s local field renovation efforts. The highlight of the Madisonville Field project is a new synthetic infield which makes the field accessible to boys and girls of all ages while ensuring fewer weather-related cancellations.

“This has become really the staple of what we're trying to do with youth baseball and softball in our communities; these synthetic infields are a game changer,” Reds President and CEO Phil Castellini said. “Not only will this field get so much more playing time for the sports it's dedicated to, but so many other activities can take place for the community on this field. So it'll have a life well beyond baseball and softball, and I hope the entire community and the school continues to benefit.”

The Reds joined Major League Baseball’s annual celebration of Jackie Robinson Day with activities at the ballpark and the P&G MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy.

On April 15, Reds pitcher Hunter Greene held a special meet & greet with the Wilberforce University baseball team to discuss the legacy and impact of Robinson and gifted the players new cleats. During the game, players, managers and coaches wore No. 42 jerseys to honor Robinson’s historic debut along with a ‘42’ patch on the caps. In addition, the Reds honored the baseball legend with pregame ceremonies and fans in attendance received a commemorative #42 adhesive patch, courtesy of Network for Hope.

A few days earlier, the Reds Youth Academy hosted its fourth annual Joe Morgan HBCU Classic along with six baseball and softball games from the Skyline Chili Reds Futures High School Showcase presented by PNC. The HBCU players wore throwback Negro Leagues jerseys and the high school players were provided a No. 42 tech T-shirt and black Nike cap.