Black World Series/Inner City Classic from Greensboro to be broadcast LIVE via the internet

BLACK WORLD SERIES TO BE BROADCAST LIVE VIA THE INTERNET

RICHMOND, VA – The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League (MJBL) takes great pleasure in announcing that the Black World Series will be broadcast live from Greensboro, NC August 8th starting at a 4:30 p.m. EST. The championship game will be shown via the internet that can be accessed at the www.mjbl.org website. New York Mets hall of fame inductee Mookie Wilson will do the color commentary for the game.

MJBL is a 43 year old non-profit organization that offers a national youth baseball program. MJBL’s programs are primarily offered in African-American neighborhoods and are designed to encourage our youth to take pride in themselves and their communities. MJBL, presently located in 17 states, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, will present it’s 19th annual Inner City Classic August 5th-9th, featuring the Black World Series and the Bobby Bonds Memorial Symposium. The City of Greensboro, NC and North Carolina A&T State University will host this year’s Classic. The Symposium will also be held August 8th at 8 p.m. at Harrison Auditorium on the university’s campus. The feature topic will be “The absence of African American coaches at the Division I level of NCAA baseball”.

Despite the reluctance of major networks to air this event, MJBL officials remained undaunted in their endeavor to air the game. It became a priority to make sure the nation had the opportunity to see our youth participating in our national pastime. Ken Free, Sr., MJBL Chairman of the Board and former MEAC commissioner said, “I’m familiar with the difficulty involved in getting small market minority sporting events televised. I struggled for years to get a television deal for MEAC football games. It’s great that modern technology will allow the Black World Series to be aired live. I’m delighted that our kids will be exposed to a national audience who can view the positive aspects of the kids, their families and MJBL”.

Over 50 teams with youth ages 10 to 19 representing their state will converge in Greensboro for the Classic. The 12 and under division will compete for the Black World Series title, while the 13-15 and 16-19 age groups compete for the Classic crown. William Forrester, Jr., MJBL Executive Director said, “It is important for our youth to see adults that look like them in leadership roles governing programs that they participate in. MJBL is all-inclusive, however we design our program to the specific needs of our youth. That is why we offer the Classic in conjunction with a HBCU. We believe that education always come first and we encourage all of our league members to strive to attend college”. Classic participants will be offered campus tours of North Carolina A&T State University and Winston Salem State University and provided insight from counselors at the Universities on their curriculum and the academic achievement necessary to attend. A hands-on Motorsports demonstration will also be offer by both universities to the Classic participants.
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MJBL board member, Emory Holmes III, renowned writer from Los Angeles, CA stated that, “Contractual obligations will not allow me to attend the game in person, but I am elated that I will get to view the game online. I feel this provides the perfect venue to show the world we do support our youth. I am urging all business owners, baseball enthusiasts, and people who just love kids that have restaurants and other establishments with big screen televisions and internet access to advertise and show the Black World Series.

9 thoughts on “Black World Series/Inner City Classic from Greensboro to be broadcast LIVE via the internet

  1. what would happen if they had an all white junior baseball tournament it would be called racist but i guess its not when its all black

  2. Please do your homework and find out more about what this event is about , before you make your dumb comments. thanks.

  3. Last year they had several kids that aren’t black playing for the Greensboro team that won the World Series down in South Carolina.

    I’m sure Coach JB Baynes will have some of those kids back with the team when the Series gets under way here in Greensboro in August.

    I have talked to white parents that wanted to get in touch with Coach Derrick Johnson so they could get their kids on a team and into the Tournament. There is interest and Coach Johnson had no problem with it.

    There has been a move to call the Series the “Inner City Classic” instead of the Black Baseball World Series and I believe the Black World Series name has been retained in some corners to preserve the history of the Series.

    They used to have the Black World Series of Golf here in Greensboro years ago and guys like Charlie Sifford and Lee Elder would come to town to play in the tourney, but again, I don’t think it was limited to black golfers only.

    There’s much to learned when we all start working together.

  4. On a side note, if Fletcher Donnell was still around, he would be very pleased and proud of what’s going on with this World Series. He was a man of diversity. Just ask those men who went with him to Roxboro and down into South Carolina.

    Guys like Ray Crawford Sr. and Cliff Craven. They could tell you. Some have said that Ray Sr. was one of the fastest young men that they have ever seen and Cliff was one of the best hitters and overall players to ever come through here and they both were with teams led by Fletch and men like Sonny Cashion with Sonny’s Funnies that won the Semi-Pro baseball Series back in the late 70’s, early 80’s…..

    They played the Semi-Pro World Series down in Roxboro back in those days.

  5. Jerry WHY? Why did you have to go there? This tournament is for kids mostly those that cant afford to play travel ball so please dont make this a white black thing just be happy that the kids are having a chance to display their talents wether it be black or white. I will have black and white kids on my team THE R & B GREENSBORO AGGIES and they are all great kids so please dont go there just come out and support the kids and keep those racist comments to yourself.

  6. Andy you can add Mookie Wilson and Al Holland to the list of people that played with us in the Semi Pro World Series in Roxboro. REAL GOOD BASEBALL

  7. GBC Team Acceleration 12u is excited to represent Greensboro in the Metropolitan Junior Baseball League Black World Series/Inner City Classic. We look forward to a wonderful event.

  8. Poor Jerry, are you so lonely that you must try to tear down programs that try to do good? When was the last time you went to a youth baseball game? When was the last time you watched a MLB game? Had you done either you would have noticed the lack of black ball players. Most of the darker race players you see in the MLB are of hispanic decent, not African-american. If had looked in the area, most of the teams in greensboro are without black players. There has been a weed out program working its way through out baseball from the lowest levels up. Weather on purpose or not, it’s there. I’ve seen it first hand. This program is in place to help people like Ray Crawford, and those like him who believe in keeping baseball alive on the black side of towns and cities across america. The MLB is below 6% black particapation. What did Jackie Robinson and those like him fight with blood, sweat, tears, and years for? So Jerry before you show us your ignorance, please truly think about what you are saying about your self. This program has proven its’ value to the black comumnity, and to the world of baseball across america, have you? It’s better to look stupid than to speak and prove it’s true!

  9. EAST END EXPRESS BASEBALL 12U IS LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING IN THIS GREAT TOURNAMENT TO SHOWCASE OUR BLACK AND WHITE INNER-CITY YOUTH KIDS. WE ARE FROM RICHMOND,VA WHERE THE MJBL STARTED FROM SO WE ARE VERY PLEASED AN A HONOR TO PLAY IN THIS GAME.

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