Pirates, leagues gear up for 2022 RBI season

The Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, founded by Major League Baseball in 1989, operates with a mission to increase participation and diversity in the games of baseball and softball with a focus on underserved and under-represented youth.

The Pirates have a long history of support for RBI locally. On Saturday at PNC Park, the team and officials from the city of Pittsburgh, including new Mayor Ed Gainey, unveiled plans for the 2022 edition of the program during an RBI resource fair.

Coaches and league organizers were able to gather information and fill out the forms necessary to get wheels in motion for the upcoming season. Those in attendance, and others watching the proceedings virtually, learned about the Pirates’ increased commitment to the RBI program -- which will include grants for uniforms and operational costs, such as umpires and equipment. In addition, the Diamond Kinetics training program will be introduced for baseball and softball players ages 15 and up, and this year’s RBI regional championships will take place at PNC Park from July 25-27.

Plus, the Pirates will continue to provide support in ways they have in the past. That list includes Youth Baseball & Softball Day at PNC Park on May 22, when RBI players and coaches will receive free tickets; covering travel costs to the RBI regional tournament and RBI World Series for teams that qualify; conducting instructional clinics; and hosting the champions of the RBI league in the Pirates Charities Suite for a game.

“You’re the real heroes,” Pirates president Travis Williams told the audience. “Without you volunteering your time and putting in the effort that you do day in and day out, these kids don’t have an outlet to play baseball and softball. That’s not lost on us.

“We’re doubling down on the RBI program and making sure the coaches, players, umpires and organizations have the resources they need to be able to provide this wonderful opportunity for kids. We’ve increased our commitment significantly, and we will continue to look at how we can improve the program and provide even more resources over time.”

The news of the Pirates’ increased commitment was well received, which was reflected in comments by John “Scrap” Wilson of the Swissvale Orioles Baseball and Softball organization.

“It’s wonderful. It’s very helpful,” Wilson said. “Times were already difficult before the pandemic. And when it hit, it put a lot of people back even more financially. So sports organizations suffered from that. By the Pirates doing things like grants, offering uniforms and taking care of umpires -- that’s really big.”

During Williams’ time at the podium, he also gave a tip of the cap to Gainey, who made it clear when he was on the campaign trail that youth sports would be important to his mayoral administration. The Pirates work with CitiSports, a division of the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, to execute the RBI program.

“You have a passion for this program, and I know you want to see it continue,” Williams told Gainey. “We look forward to working with you and your team and making sure that RBI not only continues, but it continues to get better and better. We as the Pirates organization are committed to that, along with you.”

Said Gainey: “RBI and CitiSports are extremely important, and over the years I don’t think we’ve talked about the Pirates’ commitment to youth enough. Sometimes that goes unnoticed, but the dedication of the Pirates is really the reason this program is able to continue.”

Williams and Gainey emphasized the fact that programs like RBI are important for societal reasons too, not just recreational ones.

“It provides life lessons for kids,” Williams said. “It goes beyond the sport of baseball and the sport of softball. Its impact is much more important than learning how to field a ground ball or how to hit a baseball.”

Added Gainey: “I’ve always believed that the more you have a kid in a structured activity, the better adult that kid becomes. That starts with sports and athletic programs for all the children you have in your community. Kids need structure now more than ever before. They look to you as coaches. You can reach kids in ways that no one else can.

“My greatest moments have been in playing sports. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the coaches I had. If we continue to invest in our kids, we can help create a culture of peace and let them know that they’re truly loved and appreciated.”