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“WooSox Mentors” Meet Children Today at Worcester’s Gates Lane Elementary School

March 4, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Club partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts and Worcester Public Schools to introduce latest community initiative.

WORCESTER, MA – The Worcester Red Sox have partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts and the Worcester Public Schools to create the “WooSox Mentors” program with children at Gates Lane Elementary School at 1238 Main Street.

The program, launched today, includes 14 WooSox Front Office members who will mentor students once a week through the school year, continuing throughout the students’ rise through the Worcester Public Schools.

“So many of us are beneficiaries of impactful mentors, and so many of us have enjoyed serving as mentors to young people,” said WooSox President Dr. Charles A. Steinberg. “We recognize and realize that a regular visit with a smile, a kind hand, and a reassuring word can help fortify the self-esteem of a child—and what an honor it is to be able to do so.”

The school counts among its alumni the City Manager of Worcester.

“Not only do I have a soft spot for Gates Lane, where I attended elementary school, I know the value a program like this can have in the development of a young person,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. “As someone who has benefited a lot from mentors, I am grateful our new neighbors, the Worcester Red Sox, are investing their time into becoming part of the fabric of our community and contributing to the growth and success of our youngest residents.”

“It’s great to see Front Office members from the WooSox making time for students in the Worcester Public Schools with baseball season right around the corner,” said Worcester Mayor Joe Petty. “I’d like to also thank Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass, and the entire staff at Gates Lane Elementary for helping make this exciting partnership possible. These students are going to benefit tremendously from the mentorship and guidance from leaders in the WooSox organization.”

“Thank you to the WooSox for their consistent and amazing support for Worcester Public School students,” said Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda. “The mentoring program with Gates Lane Elementary will make another positive difference in the lives of our students.”

“This is the story of everyday heroes! It is extra sweet that as much as kids look up to sports figures, this team and its Front Office members are saying ‘Yes’ to being a part of the lives of our Littles,” said Connie Ash, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Massachusetts. “Everyone at Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Mass – our staff, our board and our volunteers – are wowed and humbled by the WooSox’ commitment to our community, and to each and every one of these children.”

“The WooSox enjoy demonstrating that we’re more than just a baseball team, and this mentoring partnership is another shining example of that,” said WooSox Vice President of Baseball Operations & Community Relations Joe Bradlee. “We’re all looking forward to building relationships with the students at Gates Lane Elementary with whom we’ve been matched, and we give our sincerest thanks to all who have helped get this impactful program off the ground.”

Founded in 1963, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass has supported children in the community through individualized mentoring programs for over 50 years. The organization connects with children through strategic partnerships with local schools and youth development programs, along with the support of community volunteers, many of whom come from local colleges and corporations like the WooSox.

Tagged as : Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boston Red Sox, Children's Health and Development, Education/Teacher Support, International League, Massachusetts, Mentoring, Worcester Red Sox { }

Honor a Loved One Affected by Cancer with the Drive’s Special Package

February 21, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

The Greenville Drive, along with Bon Secours and the American Cancer Society, will be creating a specially designed Survivors jersey to honor and celebrate those in our community affected by cancer.

Packages are available for Drive fans to celebrate their loved one by including their name in the jersey design and each opportunity also comes with tickets to a 2022 Drive game as well as a donation back to the American Cancer Society.

The Drive will proudly wear these jerseys during their home game at Fluor Field on Sunday, May 8th and we will auctioning off the players’ jerseys during the game to raise additional funds to fight this terrible disease.

To learn more about the packages and how you can reserve a spot for your loved one, CLICK HERE.

Tagged as : American Cancer Society, Boston Red Sox, Cancer Awareness, Charity Auctions/Raffles, Greenville Drive, South Atlantic League, South Carolina { }

WooSox Announce Second Annual Polar Park Job Fair, Scheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 A.M. – 1 P.M.

February 14, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

Club intends to fill part-time, seasonal positions by early March;

Opportunities within Ticketing, Concessions and Hospitality, WooSox Productions, Ballpark Operations, Mascots, and Merchandising;

All are welcome to virtual event.

WORCESTER, MA — In partnership with the MassHire Worcester Career Center, the Worcester Red Sox have scheduled their second annual Polar Park Job Fair for this Saturday, February 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The WooSox will host the event over Premier Virtual, allowing prospective employees to browse opportunities and connect with hiring managers instantaneously. Details are at woosox.com.

Within the next month, the club is looking to complete the hiring of the approximately 300 part-time, seasonal positions comprising vibrant, fan-centric individuals of all backgrounds. From local high school and college students aspiring to get a foot in the door of professional baseball, to casual fans searching for a secondary, summer, or retirement job, all are welcome to attend the Job Fair. The various departments hiring include Ticketing, Concessions and Hospitality, WooSox Productions, Ballpark Operations, Mascot Acting, and Merchandising.

The club also seeks friendly, energetic Parking Attendants, Ushers, Food Vendors, Cleaning Crew Members, Field Maintenance Workers, and Team Store Retailers. In addition, Polar Park Ambassadors conduct ballpark tours and assist with pre-game ceremonies and in-game promotional activities.

The WooSox Foundation also seeks to meet those who would like to volunteer for the club’s philanthropic arm.

College students seeking WooSox Internships can attend the Job Fair and should also send a cover letter and résumé to [email protected].

Those interested in participating may register at woosox.com and set up a profile in advance on Premier Virtual. Please submit questions to [email protected].

“A warm and welcoming environment is essential at Polar Park,” said club President Dr. Charles A. Steinberg. “Our diverse, inclusive event staff takes pride in ensuring that everyone feels welcome and that people from all walks of life come together as one to enjoy our National Pastime and the Wonderful World of Worcester.”

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Employment Opportunities, International League, Massachusetts, Worcester Red Sox { }

WooSox Foundation Establishes “Tyler’s Teammates” Program in Memory of Paxton’s Tyler Trudell

February 10, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

Partnership with Little Leaguer’s family will help provide equipment and registration for children to play ball throughout Central Mass.

Teammates, friends, and family of Tyler Trudell throwing a ceremonial first pitch at Polar Park on June 19, 2021.
Kate Foultz/Worcester Red Sox

WORCESTER, MA — In collaboration with his family, the WooSox Foundation is establishing “Tyler’s Teammates,” a program in memory of Tyler Trudell, the 13-year-old Paxton (MA) Little Leaguer whose unexpected death last May 13 shook his town and many others in Central Mass. Seeking to perpetuate the joy of the baseball-loving child, the program provides opportunity, equipment, and registration to regional youngsters who may not otherwise have the funds to partake in organized Diamond Sports.

Tyler’s family and teammates, with whom he played for eight years, will join Worcester Red Sox officials at Paxton Center School, this Monday, February 14, at 2 p.m. WooSox mascots Smiley Ball and Woofster the WonderDog will greet Tyler’s eighth grade classmates as well as his teammates, who will be commemorated as ambassadors of the program with custom T-shirts and certificates.

In Tyler’s memory, his mother, Lynn Trudell, has been crafting and selling bracelets with her devoted friends, and these proceeds are funding the program. In addition to being sold in Paxton at such locales as the Ten West Market at 10 West St. and online at ExercisingWell.com, the WooSox will offer these bracelets for sale at Polar Park, and add these proceeds to the program. Because Tyler sported jersey #2 after his favorite player, the Boston Red Sox’ Xander Bogaerts, Lynn asks all who purchase a bracelet to post a picture with “#2EverPresent” on social media.

“All of us with the Worcester Red Sox felt the loss of a little boy we didn’t even know,” said Dr. Charles A. Steinberg, who is President of the WooSox Foundation as well as of the WooSox. “Within hours of the news, we were moved to acknowledge his passing with a moment of silence. Several of us attended the wake, and we were touched by the sight of his teammates there in their Little League uniforms. The story and the people of Paxton touched us deeply.

“We were later inspired to learn that Tyler’s mom had been seeking to create something productive and constructive in a time of unimaginable grief, and we were touched even more so to learn of her family’s desire to help other little boys and girls experience the joy of playing ball that her son so loved. We are honored to be a partner with the Trudell family and all of Tyler’s Teammates.”

The WooSox plan to hold an equipment drive in early March, when aspiring ballplayers will be invited to Polar Park to pick out or donate equipment. In addition, the WooSox hope to honor “Tyler’s Teammates” and family at a “Paxton Day” home game at Polar Park this season. Program ambassadors will participate in ceremonies on the field and raise a flag in right-centerfield that displays the new, official “Tyler’s Teammates” logo.

Paxton Center School, part of the Wachusett Regional School District, accommodates students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Tyler was a seventh-grader last year.

Those seeking information regarding donations and receiving equipment and registration funds may visit woosoxfoundation.org.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, International League, Massachusetts, Public Recognition/Celebrations/Events, Worcester Red Sox, Youth Sports { }

Sea Dogs hold food drive to benefit Good Shepherd Food Bank

February 7, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Portland, Maine– The Portland Sea Dogs, in partnership with Maine Credit Unions, will hold their annual Food Drive which will run from Monday, February 7th through Friday, February 25th. All the collected food items will be donated to the Good Shepherd Food Bank.

As in the past, this year’s food drive will be “Buy One, Bring One, Get One.” For every ticket purchased and every donated food item you bring, you will receive a free Sea Dogs ticket to the same game. For example, if you buy three tickets to the June 28th game and bring in three food items, you will receive three additional complimentary tickets of equal or lesser value to the June 28th game. The offer is good for Reserved, and General Admission seating, subject to availability.

Fans may take advantage of this offer by bringing their non-perishable food items to the Hadlock Field Box Office. The Sea Dogs Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Each year the Sea Dogs have been able to donate hundreds of food items to the Good Shepherd Food Bank thanks to the generosity of Sea Dogs’ fans.

The 2022 season will be the Sea Dogs’ 29th season in Portland and 20th as an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Sea Dogs open the season on Friday, April 8th at Hadlock Field against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Hadlock Field, online at www.seadogs.com, or by phone at 207-879-9500.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Eastern League, Food Banks, Food Drives, Food Insecurity, Maine, Portland Sea Dogs, Supporting the Community, Ticket Donations { }

Black History Month – The 5 best Black players in WooSox/PawSox history

February 4, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the WooSox/PawSox organization.

Sam Horn

Sam Horn was drafted by the Red Sox in the first round with the sixth overall pick in the 1982 draft out of Samuel Morse High School in San Diego, CA. In 1987 Horn had one of the best offensive seasons in Triple-A franchise history when he belted 30 Home Runs, 82 RBI, and hit .321 before getting called up by the Boston Red Sox in July of that same year. Horn would later hit another 10 Home Runs in his first 82 trips to the plate as a member of the Major League Club during the 1987 season. He was also a member of the Baltimore Orioles in 1992 during the Innaugural Season at Camden Yards, where he scored the first-ever run in the history of the new ballpark. Horn has always stayed connected with Larry Lucchino, who would later build Petco Park in San Diego before becoming President & CEO of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. Horn now resides in Rhode Island, where he continues to stay active in the community for the Worcester Red Sox and Boston Red Sox.

Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd

Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd was rafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 16th round of the 1980 amateur draft out of Jackson State University. The Meridian, MS native made his Major League debut for Boston in 1982 and won 16 games in 1986 as a critical member of the American League Championship team’s starting rotation. He was also the recipient of the Boston Red Sox Pitcher of the Year Award voted on by the Boston baseball Writers Association in 1985. Boyd would pitch for the Red Sox through the end of the 1989 season before moving on for stints with the Montreal Expos (1990-1991) and Texas Rangers (1992). Boyd also had two uncles who played baseball professionally— Robert Boyd played for the Kansas City Athletics and Memphis Red Sox of the Negro Leagues, and his Great Uncle Benjamin played for the Memphis Red Sox and Homestead Grays. Dennis resided in East Providence for years where he was always a fixture at PawSox games, and stays active in the community for both the Worcester Red Sox and Boston Red Sox.

Jim Rice

Jim Rice was the only player in the last 50 years of the International League to win the IL Triple Crown when he hit .337 along with 25 HR and 93 RBI in just 117 games for the 1974 Pawtucket Red Sox to lead the league in all three categories. He was one of only six players to capture the IL Triple Crown in the 132 years of the International League. Rice, who was Pawtucket’s all-time hitting leader with a .340 average, joined the PawSox late in the 1973 season (at the age of 20) and helped lead the club to the Governors’ Cup Championship and the Junior World Series title. He was the IL MVP in 1974 despite being promoted to Boston in mid-August. Rice ranks among the all-time Boston Red Sox leaders in at-bats (3rd), runs (4th), hits (3rd), doubles (6th), triples (6th), HR (3rd), RBI (3rd), walks (8th), slugging pct. (8th), and total bases (3rd) among others. An 8-time American League All-Star outfielder (1977-80, 83-86), Jim was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2009. He was also a member of the first class of Red Sox Hall of Fame inductees in 1995 and was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2008.

Mo Vaughn

Mo Vaughn was a popular player for the PawSox for parts of three seasons (1990-92) and went on to a stellar 12-year Major League career with Boston (1991-98), Anaheim (1999-2000), and the New York Mets (2002-03). He finished his big league career with a .293 average along with 328 HR & 1064 RBI in 1512 games. Mo was a three-time American League All-Star with the Red Sox (1995, ’96 and ’98) and the American League MVP in 1995 when he hit .300 with 39 HR & 126 RBI. The “Hit Dog” followed that up with a sensational 1996 campaign for Boston batting .326 with career-highs of 44 HR & 143 RBI. Vaughn was chosen by the Red Sox in the 1st round of the 1989 draft. He spent all of 1990, at the age of 22, with the PawSox posting a .295 average with 22 HR & 72 RBI in 108 games. He would split the 1991 season between Pawtucket and Boston, returned briefly to Pawtucket in 1992 for 39 games, but then spent the rest of his career in the majors. From 1996-98 with the Red Sox he hit .315 or higher and averaged 40 homers and 118 RBI.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Jackie Bradley Jr. was reacquired by the Boston Red Sox in a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 1, 2021. Bradley Jr. has played in 1,007 major league games with the Red Sox (2013-20) and Brewers (2021), batting .230 with 104 home runs. A 2016 All-Star, he earned the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018 and was a finalist for the award in three other seasons (2014, ’16, ’19). Bradley helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, as he was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series. Selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round of the 2011 June Draft, Jackie was among the most popular players in Pawtucket Red Sox history while playing for the PawSox during parts of the 2013-15 and 2017 seasons. An active member of the community along with his wife, Erin, Bradley served as captain of the Red Sox Scholars program from 2016-20 and supported the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Diversity/Inclusion, Honoring History, International League, Massachusetts, Worcester Red Sox { }

The Greenville Black Spinners & Mayberry Park

February 4, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

Greenville and the Upstate region has a rich baseball history. Everyone knows the stories of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and others, including Tommy Lasorda, Nolan Ryan, and Jim Rice. However, the lesser known stories include the Greenville Black Spinners, St. Anthony’s, and Sterling High School – teams that also utilized Mayberry Park and Meadowbrook Park.

As the Drive continues the celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to pay homage to the Greenville Black Spinners, with a commemorative Greenville Black Spinners t-shirt. You can pre-order the t-shirt by CLICKING HERE. Proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will support the City of Greenville’s Unity Park project, particularly the restoration of Mayberry Park.

Greenville Drive owner Craig Brown and his wife, Vicki, are among the first partners with the City of Greenville in donating to Unity Park. The couple provided funding for the restoration and preservation of historic Mayberry Park, built in the 1920s for Black children at a time they were not allowed to play in the city’s segregated parks. Mayberry Park, which sat just beyond the outfield wall of Meadowbrook Park, will be known as Mayberry Field when Unity Park opens in spring 2022.

The following passages were taken from the upcoming book, Voices from Meadowbrook Park, Memories of Greenville, South Carolina’s Historic Baseball Park (1938-1972) written by Greenville historian, author, and Drive season ticket holder, Mike Chibbaro. The book will be released in late March 2022, and can be preordered by CLICKING HERE.

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On a warm June morning in 2021, John Calvin Whiteside returned for a visit to Mayberry Park. He stood in a familiar spot on the grass covered infield, halfway between second and third base. More than fifty years have passed since Whiteside was a slick fielding shortstop for his high school team, the Sterling Tigers. Sterling practiced at Mayberry Park and played its home games at the adjacent Meadowbrook Park.

Whiteside was one of many youth from the surrounding neighborhoods who chased down baseballs beyond the boundaries of Meadowbrook Park, sometimes even jumping into the Reedy River to retrieve the souvenir. “We would take the balls and sell them to the White parents going into the game who gave them to their children. We would get anywhere from twenty-five cents to a dollar for a ball, which would give us money to go to a movie, plus buy us something at the concession stand,” Whiteside remembered. “Sometimes we would take the ball to the gate at Meadowbrook and if we gave it back, they would let us in the game free.”

Whiteside and his friends often watched games at Meadowbrook standing atop a small hill outside the park and peering over the left field wall. “I remember standing on that hill watching Willie Stargell hit one over the right field wall and over the Reedy River,” Whiteside’s cousin, Marion Butler, said about a memorable home run the future Hall of Famer hit in 1961 while playing for the Asheville Tourists.

On that June morning when Whiteside returned to his shortstop position at Mayberry Park, the sounds of heavy construction equipment could be heard as workers graded the land for the planned 60-acre, $40 million Unity Park. The new park is in part an attempt by the city to right some of the past wrongs related to the inadequacy of recreational facilities offered to Greenville’s Blacks during segregation. Whiteside smiles at the irony of the massive construction in an area where the city’s investment was so minimal during the days of his childhood.

“The infield at Mayberry was lots of lumps and bumps. We’d have to pick up rocks and glass out of the infield before practice,” Whiteside said. “We had a single merry go round that held about three of us, a swing set and one see-saw.”

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The distance between the outfield fence of Mayberry Park and the concrete outfield wall of Meadowbrook Park was a few hundred feet. In terms of access for Blacks, there was a vast chasm between the two parks, a divide that had been built over years of legalized racial segregation.

For most of Meadowbrook’s life, it was a place where Blacks were only allowed to use the park on selected dates and times, and their access came with a series of restrictions. If a Black resident attended a “non-Black” event they were forced to sit in the designated “colored section” along the third-base line. Separate, but certainly not equal, concession and restroom facilities were provided. Members of Black teams playing at Meadowbrook dressed in their uniforms prior to arriving at Meadowbrook as they were not allowed to use the park’s locker rooms.

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Like many other American cities, Greenville’s Black community built its own baseball world. Author Donn Rogosin in his book, _Invisible Men, Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues_, explains that these baseball sub-cultures were built out of necessity.

Baseball has long been called America’s game. It was not just white America’s game, it was a game loved by all races, but due to the segregated society that emerged in America during reconstruction, Black communities were forced to build their own baseball world.

In segregated America, great Black baseball players were forced to exhibit their talents behind a rigid color barrier—victims of the unwritten law that no black man was allowed in the major leagues. Men of extraordinary athletic ability passed their lives in obscurity, absent from the sport pages of the white newspapers, obliterated from American sports history.

Confronted by an intolerant society, the Black athlete and the Black community built their own sports world. Black teams were formed and later, black leagues…Black teams, representing Black communities, formed a replica of major-league baseball, separate and unequal in everything but athletic ability.

Baseball was played non-stop by youth at Mayberry Park or on any other open field within the black neighborhoods of Greenville. Adults played baseball as well as softball on evenings and weekends.

Meadowbrook Park became the home field for games for the following Black teams: The Sterling High School Tigers, The Greenville Black Spinners, The Greenville Red Socks, the St. Anthony Braves and the Greenville Negro All-Stars. The most prominent of the semi-pro teams was the Greenville Black Spinners.

The first reference to an organized Black baseball team in Greenville dates to 1910 when The Greenville News reported on a game between the Greenville Giants and a similar team from Anderson. The Giants were referred to as “Greenville’s fast colored team” and one of “the best colored teams in the State.” The team disappeared around the time World War I began but made a brief reappearance in the late 1940s.

The Black Spinners were a collection of mostly local players who competed against teams like the Spartanburg Sluggers, Easley Browns, Asheville Blues, Charlotte Black Hornets or the Raleigh Tigers. Initially, home games were played on the baseball field on Perry Avenue and later at Graham Field, and Meadowbrook became the Black Spinners official home when it opened in 1938. Many of the Black Spinners games were scheduled for Monday evenings when the park was not being used by Greenville’s White professional team.

Infrequent and brief accounts of Black Spinners’ contests appeared in The Greenville News from 1921 to 1969. Advertisements for the games always included the following statement: “A special section will be reserved for white fans at the game.” Most often, this meant that the entire grandstand section on the third base side was reserved for Whites. The games drew large crowds, particularly those against archrival Spartanburg. Whenever gate receipts were significant enough, players were paid small amounts of money for their play.

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Meadowbrook also became a stop-over for traveling Negro League teams. The Kansas City Monarchs appeared at Meadowbrook in 1955, 1961 and 1962. The Monarchs opponent in their August 16, 1962 visit to Meadowbrook was the Harlem Stars, a team that featured legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige. The 56-year-old Paige hurled three scoreless innings before a sparse crowd of 528 as Harlem defeated Kansas City 8-4.

The Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League played at Meadowbrook eight times between 1953 and 1970. The 1953 appearance of the Clowns showcased their second baseman Toni Stone, the first female player in the Negro Leagues.

A barnstorming group of Negro Major League All-Stars played a series of exhibition games throughout the southeast in 1960 and stopped at Meadowbrook on the evening of October 20. The game featured the Milwaukee Braves’ Hank Aaron who went on to break Babe Ruth’s career homerun record, along with the L.A. Dodgers Maury Wills, Cincinnati’s Vada Pinson and Cleveland’s Jim “Mudcat” Grant. The Greenville News promoted the game, yet no account of the game’s results appeared the following day in either the morning or evening papers in Greenville.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Diversity/Inclusion, Greenville Drive, Honoring History, South Atlantic League, South Carolina { }

Celebrating Black Greenville Drive Players and Coaches

February 2, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

As part of Black History Month, and the Drive’s participation in Minor League Baseball’s new “The Nine” initiative, we’ll be spotlighting all of our Black alumni during the month of February. Over the span of the Drive’s 15 seasons, we’ve had 20 Black players, and 7 Black field staff members.

We’ll be highlighting the players in alphabetical order, and concluding with the field staff. This write-up will be added to every week during the month of February, and will include additional photos of each player on Drive social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Luke Bandy, Outfielder // 2021

Began the 2021 season with the Drive…appeared in 19 games (14 in centerfield and 5 in leftfield)…amassed a .972 fielding percentage…hit his first professional home run on May 18th, 2021 at the Asheville Tourists…drafted by the Red Sox in the 29th round of the 2019 MLB Draft…spent three seasons at Dallas Baptist University, where he earned First-Team All-MVC honors as a junior, also being named to the league’s All-Defensive Team

Mookie Betts, Infielder // 2013

One of the Drive’s most heralded alumni…appeared in 76 games with the Drive during the 2013 season, hitting .296 with 8 home runs, 63 runs, 26 RBI, 63 runs scored, 24 doubles, and 18 stolen bases before a July call-up to the Salem Red Sox…was named a mid-season South Atlantic League All-Star…made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox on June 29th, 2014 – becoming the 37th Greenville alum to reach the big leagues…in 2018, he became the first player in MLB history to win the MVP, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series all in the same season…MLB accomplishments include a 5x All-Star (2016-2019, 2021), 2x World Series Champion (2018, 2020), 2020 MLB First Team (2020), All-MLB Second Team (2019), 4x Silver Slugger (2016, 2018-2020), 5x Gold Glove (2016-2020), Wilson Defensive Player of the Year (2016), and 30/30 Club (2018)

Jackie Bradley, Jr, Outfielder // 2011

Following a standout career at the University of South Carolina, where he was a two-time College World Series Champion (2010, 2011) and named the CWS Most Outstanding Player honors in 2010, was selected 40th overall by the Red Sox in the 2011 MLB Draft…appeared in 4 games with the Drive at the end of the 2011 season, all on the road – which means he’s played more games at Fluor Field as a member of the Gamecocks than he did with the Drive…made his MLB debut on April 1st, 2013 for the Red Sox, becoming the 24th Drive alum to reach the big leagues…in 2016, amassed a 29-game hit streak tying Johnny Damon for the fourth longest in Red Sox franchise history…earned MLB’s AL Player of the Month honors for May 2016…became a World Series Champion and won a Gold Glove in 2018…was named the American League Championship Series MVP in 2018

Ryan Dent, Infielder // 2009

Appeared in 99 games with the Drive in 2009, helping lead the team to the South Atlantic League’s First-Half Southern Division Championship…tied a career-high with 6 homers while, tying for third on the club with 24 doubles…spent 8 seasons in the minors, reaching Triple-A with both the Red Sox (Pawtucket 2012 and 2013) and Cubs (Iowa in 2015) organizations…was a career .236 hitter, totaling 508 hits, 144 doubles, and 288 runs scored…spent the 2019 season with the independent York Revolution, where he was named a mid-season All-Star…originally selected by the Red Sox as the 32nd overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Diversity/Inclusion, Greenville Drive, Honoring History, South Atlantic League, South Carolina { }

Before more than 1,200 Worcester Public Schools Students, WooSox and Red Sox Stars Commemorate Jackie Robinson’s Birthday on the Eve of Black History Month 

February 1, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Stories and lessons come from Josh Ockimey, Oil Can Boyd, and Rich Gedman.

WORCESTER, MA — In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s dismantling of Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, then Executive Vice President of the San Diego Padres, watched as a reporter kneeled next to a little girl to ask if she knew who Jackie was.

“I’ve heard of her, but I don’t exactly know what she did,” she replied.

The admission was innocent, but Steinberg worried. The perceived threat to Robinson’s memory galvanized him into establishing a tradition in 2003 with the Boston Red Sox, which he brought to Pawtucket and now Worcester: gathering with local students annually on Robinson’s birth date, January 31—also the eve of Black History Month—to celebrate Robinson’s legacy through the telling of stories and lessons. For the 20th consecutive year, the Hall of Famer’s legacy was celebrated by New England’s premier baseball teams.

Over 1,200 students from Worcester Public Schools, their teachers, and Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda tuned into Monday morning’s one-hour Zoom event, “A Celebration of Jackie Robinson.” The children, from more than a dozen schools, were all 4th, 5th, or 6th graders. They listened to WooSox star first baseman Josh Ockimey, WooSox hitting coach and Red Sox Hall of Famer Rich Gedman, former pennant-winning pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, and businessman and civil rights leader Frank Jordan.

“The Red Sox have won four World Series since Jackie broke baseball’s color barrier [in 1947],” Steinberg said. “Can you imagine if the Boston Red Sox weren’t allowed to have David Ortiz on the team? No Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., or Xander Bogaerts?”

Segregation seems unimaginable today, but it was only 75 years ago that Black players couldn’t intermingle with white players on the baseball diamond. For more than a decade afterward, in many cities, Black players couldn’t stay at the same hotels or eat at the same restaurants as their white counterparts.

Ockimey—whom students gleefully and audibly welcomed—said he first comprehended the magnitude of Robinson’s influence in first grade, when his father taught him about the Negro Leagues and took him on a trip to Cooperstown. Ockimey was born in Philadelphia in 1995, long after Jim Crow laws dissipated, but he said that as a Black man in America, he often feels he must work twice as hard as everyone else.

Boyd, a fifth-generation professional ballplayer, reflected on his childhood in the ’60s and ’70s in Meridian, Mississippi.

“My whole family grew up playing baseball,” Boyd said. “I’d often hear names like Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, and Cool Papa Bell, and I’d try to imitate them, too.”

Boyd played collegiately at Jackson State University before the Red Sox selected him in the 16th round of the 1980 amateur draft. The lithe and affable right-hander catapulted the Red Sox into the World Series in 1986 with a career-high 16 wins. His battery-mate was Gedman, Worcester’s own two-time All-Star and Red Sox Hall of Famer.

Like Boyd, Jordan grew up in the segregated South. He credited Robinson with giving him the belief that times would change. Now the co-founder of the Boston Area Church League and Special Advisor to the Red Sox for two decades, Jordan devotes himself to bringing positive change to Boston’s youth through baseball.

“Baseball as a sport has done so much to open the door of communication that bring people together,” Jordan said. “To the kids: Get to know your classmates. Get to know your friends. You will find that we all have so much in common. That is the best avenue to change the world and make it a better place.”

Gedman echoed the sentiment.

“[In a clubhouse], the most important thing is listening, to hear what other people think and feel,” Gedman said. “Sometimes we assume everyone thinks like we do. Everyone is a part of the team, and [in WooSox ’21], nobody thought they were more special than anyone else, and we went out and played like a team.”

Steinberg concluded the WooSox’ third annual event with the reminder that positive change takes time, courage, and a willingness to get involved, adding that it’s already in motion for women in baseball. He pointed to the New York Yankees’ recent hiring of Rachel Balkovec, baseball’s first woman manager. Days after, the Red Sox became the first organization to have two women coaches in their organization in Bianca Smith and Katie Krall.

“The next Jackie Robinson is going to be Jacqueline Robinson,” Steinberg said. “Women are great athletes who play their hearts out, and no woman should be deprived of playing baseball if she can play. You might just find that there’s a woman who can throw that ball with the best of them and run like the wind.”

Perhaps the future Jacqueline Robinson heard his words Monday.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Children's Health and Development, Diversity/Inclusion, Education/Teacher Support, Honoring History, International League, Massachusetts, Worcester Red Sox { }

Drive Honored to be Part of MiLB’s “The Nine” Initiative

February 1, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Diversity/Inclusion, Greenville Drive, Honoring History, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), South Atlantic League, South Carolina, Supporting the Community, Youth Sports { }

Drive Promo Team & Reedy Rip’It Tryouts February 12th

January 31, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

CLICK HERE TO PRE-REGISTER FOR THE TRYOUTS

PROMO TEAM

The Greenville Drive are looking for fun, enthusiastic candidates who are motivated to represent the organization at home games and in the community. The Promo Team is an integral part of home Drive games and devote their time to energizing the fans at Fluor Field and making sure that everyone has a great game day experience!

Saturday, February 12th, 2021
Fluor Field at the West End
9:30AM – 11:30 AM

The ideal candidate will be an outgoing individual with a fun, energetic personality. Must be 16 or older, able to attend Drive home games, work nights and weekends and have reliable transportation.

You will be responsible for handing out promotional material, assisting with mascot functions, helping with sponsored promotions, pumping up the crowd and having FUN!

The Drive wants positive minded persons. You will be the fresh face of our promo team that will be responsible for interacting with fans and making sure they have a pleasant experience.

Auditions will consist of interactive group games, improv activities, and opportunities to interact with other candidates and the judges. These activities are meant to assess each candidate’s personality, enthusiasm, energy, teamwork skills and their comfort level in front of a crowd.

Candidates should wear comfortable, but active, attire INCLUDING athletic shoes

_An orientation time will be announced at a later date if you are selected to the team. _

REEDY

The ideal candidate will be physically fit and able to sustain energy throughout a Drive game. Must be 18 or older with reliable transportation. Height Requirements: 5’9″ to 6’2″ to fit into the costume. You must be a highly skilled performer with a great ability to improvise and animate. Previous experience as an animator, character, mascot, or interactive entertainer is a plus. Seeking people in good physical condition with skills in dancing, tumbling, gymnastics or acrobatics. Must be good with children and be an outgoing people person.

Saturday, February 12th, 2021
Fluor Field at the West End
9:30AM – 11:30 AM

Position requires five months of 66 home games to attend, from April through September. You will have a preset schedule of game dates and times. Most games are in the evening and dates will include weekends. Please note our mascot performs outside in summer months and must take into consideration the likelihood for high temperatures. Additional appearance requests will be all calendar year. You will be required to fulfil additional, non-gameday, appearances to be considered for gameday appearances. Compensation is on a per game basis and will be paid bi-weekly.

Those interested in auditioning will be required to have a 30 second to minute long performance/sketch prepared. This performance is at the discretion of the performer and must be appropriate for a family audience. We suggest you incorporate skits, your dancing abilities, and how you would interact with fans of any age. Tryouts will be on the dugout top. Please arrive on time. We will audition all candidates until all have had opportunity.

Please wear athletic/workout attire.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Employment Opportunities, Greenville Drive, South Atlantic League, South Carolina { }

Top five Black players to dawn a Salem jersey

January 31, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

This February, in honor of Black History Month, Minor League Baseball will launch The Nine Program. As such MiLB teams have been asked to reflect upon past players and highlight five standouts.

Players do not need to be Hall of Famers, All-Stars or to have even played in the Major League. These are, instead, individuals who have made an impact in their community or the sport.

With that said, here is a look at five of the best Black players to wear a Salem jersey.

Mookie Betts

Born Markus Lynn “Mookie” Betts, he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 MLB Draft. On July 9, 2013, he was promoted to Salem where he batted .341 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs. That season, Betts received Offensive Player of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year in the Red Sox organization.

He made his MLB debut on June 29, 2014, for the Red Sox and recorded his first hit that night against Chase Whitley of the New York Yankees. After the season, he moved full time to the outfield where Betts has become a superstar in baseball.

Betts had a breakout year in 2018 when he hit .346 with 32 home runs and 80 RBIs. He was voted American League MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger winner. That year he also won his first World Series title beating his current team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

During his six seasons with the Red Sox, Betts hit .301 with 139 home runs and 470 RBIs. He also collected four Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances, three Silver Sluggers, a batting title, MVP award and World Series championship.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Bradley was drafted in the supplemental first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Before the start of the 2012 season, he was named to the opening day roster with the Salem Red Sox.

During the season, Bradley hit .359 with three home runs and 34 RBIs through 67 games before being called up. That year, he was named Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in the Red Sox organization.

Bradley made the Opening Day roster in 2013 and made his debut on April 1 against the New York Yankees. He had his first major hit a couple days later, on April 4.

During the 2016 season, he made it to his first and only All-Star Game appearance. Bradley hit .267 with 26 home runs and 87 RBIs.

He was also a member of the 2018 World Series team where he collected the American League Championship Series MVP after hitting nine RBIs in the series. That season, he also won his first and only Gold Glove award.

Bradley returns to Boston for the 2022 season after spending last season in Milwaukee.

*Josh Ockimey *

Ockimey was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft by the Red Sox. He made the Opening Day roster for the Salem Red Sox during the 2017 season.

That year, he played 100 games with the team and had a .275 average with 11 home runs and 63 RBIs. It was his best season in his career, as he was also called up to AA Portland where he hit .272 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

Ockimey has spent all seven seasons in his career within the Red Sox organization. Although he has not been called up to the majors, he has spent his time the last three seasons with the Red Sox AAA organization.

In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Josh has engrained himself in the minor league communities that are part of the Red Sox farm system. This past year, Ockimey was an active member of the WooSox Foundation helping at local food pantries during the holiday season. He uses his platform to educate and raise awareness about social issues.

Dave Parker

Parker was drafted in the 14th round of the 1970 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He spent the 1972 season with the Salem Pirates, which was the inaugural season of the team.

He hit .310 with 22 home runs and 101 RBIs in 135 games. It was the most home runs and RBIs in his four-year minor league career.

During the 1973 season he was called up to Pittsburgh. Parker’s breakout season came in 1975 when he played in double the number of games as the previous year. He hit .308 with 25 home runs and 101 RBIs. That season Parker also finished third in the NL MVP voting.

After finishing in the top three of MVP voting in two of three seasons, he captured it in 1978 hitting .334 with 30 home runs and 117 RBIs. Parker fractured his jaw in late June of that season but decided to wear a face mask the rest of the season instead of sitting out. He received baseball’s first million-dollar-a-year contract after the season.

Parker decided to retire after 19 years in the majors after the 1991 season. He finished hitting .290 with 339 home runs and 1493 RBIs. Parker also had seven All-Star Game appearances, three Gold Gloves and Silver Slugger awards, two NL batting titles and two World Series titles with the Pirates (1979) and Athletics (1989).

*Tony Womack *

Womack was drafted in the seventh round of the 1991 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made the Opening Day roster of the Salem Buccaneers in 1993.

During that season, Womack played in 72 games and hit .299 with two home runs and 18 RBIs. He made his MLB debut later that season playing in 15 games.

Womack went up and down for a couple years before becoming a mainstay in the majors during the 1997 season. That year he made his first and only All-Star Game appearance hitting .278 with six home runs and 50 RBIs while stealing 60 bases.

Womack was a member of the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks. He famously had the game-tying one-out double against Mariano Rivera in Game 7 of the World Series.

During his 13-year MLB career he hit .273 with 36 home runs and 368 RBIs while also stealing 263 bases. Womack led the NL in stolen bases for three consecutive years from 1997 to 1999 and is the Diamondbacks career leader in the category.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Carolina League, Diversity/Inclusion, Honoring History, Salem Red Sox, Virginia { }

Join the Drive Team for the 2022 Season

January 11, 2022

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Want to work at one of the best ballparks in all of Minor League Baseball? Now you can! With Opening Day at Fluor Field scheduled for Friday, April 8th, as well as college and high school games, and hundreds of events, the Greenville Drive and West End Events at Fluor Field are hiring game day and seasonal team members for 2022.

The Drive and West End Events will be hosting a pair of upcoming Job Fairs – Wednesday, February 9th from 5:30 to 7:30, and Saturday, February 19th from 10 AM to 1 PM. Entrance for the Job Fair will be through the Main Street Gate at Fluor Field.

Those wishing to attend either of the dates are highly encouraged to pre-register by CLICKING HERE.

By pre-registering, you’ll get to skip the waiting line and interview with a Drive or West End Events front office staff member immediately upon checking in. All interested applicants must be at least 16-years-of-age.

On the day of the Job Fair, you will also need to complete an additional form. To expedite the process, you can CLICK HERE to access the form, and bring a completed copy.

All team members are expected to exemplify the highest of customer service towards fans and guests, while always being friendly, courteous, and helpful.

Departments are currently hiring for the following positions:

  • Facility Operations
  • Entrance Security and Check-In
  • This includes wanding fans with handheld metal detectors and/or bag checking as they enter the ballpark
  • Crowd Control
  • Serve as an usher for specific sections, ID checking, picnic areas, and playground monitoring
  • Parking
  • Manage the accessibility of parking lots assigned to players/coaches/Red Sox staff and Drive suite leaseholders and VIPs
  • Cleaning Crew
  • Serve as a key member of the team that beautifies Fluor Field both in-game and post-game
  • Ticketing
  • Box Office / Will Call
  • Serve as the first point-of-contact with many guest, by selling and distributing tickets (Cash handling experience is preferred)
  • Ticket Scanner
  • Welcome guests to Fluor Field by scanning tickets at one of the entry points, as well as luxury hospitality area entrances.
  • Team Operations
  • Official Scorer
  • This position makes all in-game determinations of hits, errors and scoring decisions. Prior experience with a professional or amateur team as an official scorer is a must.
  • Pitch Clock Operator
  • This is a new position for the 2022 season, in conjunction with the installation of pitch clocks, MiLB-wide. Close attention must be paid to the baseball game, with proper signaling with the umpires with regards to pitch clock operation.
  • Game Photographers
  • Tasked with capturing pre-game and in-game action shots of players and coaches, as well as photos of fans and partnership fulfillments as assigned. Photography experience and owning photography equipment is a must.
  • Bat Boy/Girl
  • This position works in the home and visiting dugouts pre-game, in-game and post-game. Must be able to retrieve bats and various equipment for both teams during games. Will assist in setup of both dugouts pre-game with water, Gatorade, etc., and assist with post-game clean-up of both dugouts.
  • Merchandise
  • Game Day Sales
  • Assist in game day operations at the Drive retail locations – Main Street Store, 3rd Base Store, 1st Base Kiosk. This includes setting up for each game, restocking product, cleaning and organizing retail locations and displays, and assisting all customers at point-of-sale.
  • Ground Crew
  • Game Day Members
  • Assist the Head Groundskeeper with pre- and post-game duties. The job entails physical labor with responsibilities that include – but limited to – dragging the infield, repairing the mound, home plate, and bullpen areas, and pulling the tarp during rain delays.
  • Food & Beverage
  • Concessions Prep Area
  • Will assist in different concession areas and stands with the preparation of food items. This will include stocking and inventory, serving orders, running cash registers as needed, and stand opening/closing procedures
  • Picnic Servers
  • Engage in all aspects of picnics – food setup, serving, and clean and prep.
  • Picnic Cook
  • Prepares all food items for picnics, while abiding by DHEC and state standards for food prep, keeping picnic kitchen clean and organized
  • Subway Sandwich Artist
  • Engage in all aspects of the on-site Subway concession stand – prep meats, cheeses and produce; make sandwiches; bake bread and cookies
  • sEATz In-Seat Delivery Service
  • Deliver mobile phone orders directly to fans in their seats from various stands (tipped position)
  • Suite Servers
  • Prep premium services level each day for nightly suites; assist with set up of pre orders, take in game orders, use point-of-sales software for sending orders to the kitchen, clean suites post game, opening and closing procedures for suite level
  • Must be at least 18 years old (tipped position)
  • Concession Stand Managers
  • Understanding of HACCP and DHEC food principles, previous cash handling experience, ability to multitask, make good decisions, good communication with employees, volunteer groups and fans
  • Prep Cooks
  • Cook food for designated areas according stand sheets, game attendance projections; perform opening and closing procedures for cooking equipment in designated stands; utilize HACCP and DHEC hot and cold holding principles for all food
  • Bartenders
  • Perform opening and closing procedures for designated bar area, serve drinks, cash handling, pre and post game cleaning of designated bar (tipped position)
  • Must be at least 21 years old

Team members are not expected to work all Drive and amateur games, and West End Events. The Drive are flexible with scheduling. Incentives for game day and season team members include a pre-season and post-season appreciation picnic, complimentary game tickets for family and friends, opportunities for recognition, Team Store discounts, more!

The Drive are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Employment Opportunities, Greenville Drive, South Atlantic League, South Carolina { }

Inaugural “WooSox Foundation Holiday Caravan” to Spread Joy Around Central Massachusetts this Week

December 14, 2021

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

Community Award Winners Josh Ockimey and Rich Gedman to join Smiley Ball, Woofster the WonderDog, and Santa in visits to charities.

WORCESTER, MA – Led by Josh Ockimey and Rich Gedman, two award-winning members of the Worcester Red Sox, the inaugural “WooSox Foundation Holiday Caravan” will visit charities from Leominster to Leicester and from Webster to Worcester this Wednesday through Friday, December 15-17.

Ockimey, the club’s first baseman and first-ever recipient of the WooSox Foundation’s “Heart of the Heart” award for community service, will team up with Gedman, his Hitting Coach, who won the charity’s inaugural eponymous “Geddy” award for his kindness and contributions to the community. Joining them are Mascots Smiley Ball and Woofster the WonderDog, along with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Last week, the WooSox were named Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY Champion among all 120 teams in the United States and Canada.

The Caravan, funded by generous donors from our community, begins on Wednesday morning just blocks away from Polar Park in the Canal District at St. John’s Food for the Poor, where representatives of the WooSox Foundation will serve breakfast to those in need. Other stops in Worcester include Abby’s House and Why Me & Sherry’s House, which the Caravan will visit on Wednesday, and the Worcester Public Library and UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, which will be visited on Friday.

Stretching northward, the Caravan continues to Leominster on Thursday afternoon, with a visit to the Spanish American Center, which focuses on social, educational, and economic support to the Hispanic and Latino communities.

Southward, the troupe will travel to Webster, Mass. on Wednesday afternoon, to bring gifts to the talented students in Our Bright Future’s after-school program, which supports students’ academic needs and pursuits of robotics, arts and crafts, and sports. The charity is based in neighboring Southbridge, Mass.

West of Worcester, early Wednesday evening the excursion visits Leicester, site of the McAuley Nazareth Home for Boys. Partnering with Double Play Sports, home of the Junior WooSox in AAU Baseball, the visitors will bring gifts and play games with the residents of the home team.

Addressing some of the needs at the eastern end of Central Massachusetts, the Caravan will also spend time with foster families from Framingham’s Department of Children and Families in conjunction with the Wonderfund. Care packages comprising toys and books, as well as clothing and toiletries, will be presented. Assembled by Kits for Kids of Marlborough, the gifts provide fun as well as everyday essentials to the children.

“As we head into the holidays, we find joy in bringing joy to some of those in need of a smile,” said WooSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, who is also president of the club’s foundation. “We are thrilled that one of the stars of WooSox ’21, Josh Ockimey, is returning to his summer home to warm the hearts of children in winter. And we are delighted that our native son and WooSox Hitting Coach, beloved Red Sox Hall of Famer Rich Gedman, will bring gifts and love to these children as well. For each child, it is a moment and a memory that we hope impacts and improves their precious lives.”

Ockimey, 26, hit 15 home runs and knocked in 45 runs in only 98 games for the WooSox in 2021. The lefty slugger, who has been in the Red Sox system all eight years of his professional career, has hit 40 home runs with 102 RBI in 220 games his past two seasons in Triple-A. The Philadelphia native has consistently been among the team leaders in community appearances.

The WooSox Foundation awarded its first “Geddy Award” to the Worcester native for his devotion to baseball, commitment to the community, and kindness to all.

Smiley Ball, born on World Smile Day in 2020, pays tribute to the Smiley Face, invented in Worcester in 1963 by the late advertising executive, Harvey Ball. Woofster the WonderDog, whom Smiley Ball adopted as a rescue dog at the Worcester Animal Rescue League, debuted on National Dog Day in August of 2021.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are longtime fans, having sewn and distributed red socks throughout the world. They are most familiar with the concept of a Polar Park.

Tagged as : Boston Red Sox, Charitable Foundations, Children's Health and Development, Education/Teacher Support, Food Insecurity, Hospitals/Medical Research, International League, Mascot Appearances, Massachusetts, Public Recognition/Celebrations/Events, Supporting the Community, Worcester Red Sox, Youth Sports { }

Minor League Baseball Announces 2021 CommUNITY Champion WooSox Capture Coveted Award from MiLB

December 6, 2021

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

NEW YORK CITY, Dec. 6, 2021 — Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) today announced the Worcester Red Sox as their 2021 CommUNITY Champion Award winner. Nominees from each league were selected by their peers and were candidates for the overall award.

(Left to Right) Dan Rea, WooSox Executive VP & GM, team President Dr. Charles Steinberg, and Brooke Cooper, Vice President Marketing, after the WooSox received Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY Champion Award during the Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, FL.

CommUNITY Champion Award – Worcester Red Sox (Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox)

In their inaugural season in Worcester, the Worcester Red Sox took every opportunity available to become a valued member of their new community. Whether they were hosting baseball clinics for children, building awareness for charities or providing scholarship opportunities, the WooSox always went above and beyond.

Since the announcement in August 2018 that the Worcester Red Sox were moving to Polar Park, the valuable perspective of fans and community leaders has been instrumental in shaping the franchise’s goals and values. The WooSox show their appreciation for those in their community on a nightly basis, using pregame ceremonies like “Hometown Hero,” “Heart of Worcester” and the ceremonial first pitch to recognize and honor the contributions of community leaders and unsung heroes.

Their nightly “In Debt to a Vet” promotion honors the sacrifice and bravery of local veterans, and all fans are invited onto the playing field following Saturday and Sunday games to enjoy the Polar Park experience with a game of catch or running the bases with friends and family.

In celebration of the diverse identities and cultures of the City of Worcester, the team introduced “Los Wepas de Worcester” in 2021 and highlighted a different Spanish-speaking country in each of the Copa de la Diversion games. From Mexico to Puerto Rico to El Salvador, Polar Park transformed into a hub of that country’s local culture, music and food during “Los Wepas” games. Hispanic and Latinx leaders were honored in pregame ceremonies, the national anthem of the featured country was performed, local vendors were invited to sell their food at concession stands and the on-field “Worcester Red Sox” jerseys were replaced by “Los Wepas de Worcester” jerseys, with “Wepas” being a Spanish expression of excitement.

In an effort to strengthen the organization’s spirit of empathy and inclusion and create a clearer understanding of how they can make baseball more inclusive and celebratory of differences, the club played host to several events throughout the season. In July, the WooSox hosted “Autism Acceptance Night,” where the volume of public address announcements and music was turned down across the ballpark to reduce stimulation and highlighted Polar Park’s Unum Sensory Room, which offers a quiet space for fans to take a break on the comfortable couches, borrow noise-reduction headphones and play with kinetic sand, fidget spinners and coloring books. In August, “Peanut Allergy-Friendly Nights” were introduced to allow a safe, stress-free experience for fans with peanut allergies to enjoy a game at Polar Park, and in September “Deaf Awareness Night” included an interpreter on the videoboard to communicate pregame ceremonies, in-game promotions and PA announcements.

The WooSox took advantage of the extended season by supporting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and “Going Gold” in September 2021. The WooSox put the spotlight on children, families and heroes who are helping to conquer cancer. Dressed in gold, children and families in the battle as well as their nurses and doctors gathered in center field in the shape of a ribbon as fans raised gold signs from the stands to honor loved ones who are currently in, or have lost, their battle with cancer. In their inaugural season, the team and the WooSox Foundation collectively donated over $50,000 to UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, which works to treat and cure cancer and provide resources and comfort.

The WooSox Foundation also launched the “WooSox Scholars” Program to provide college scholarships to ensure young students’ dreams of education are funded. In July 2021, four Worcester Public Schools eighth graders stepped onto the field in front of a crowd of cheering fans and were presented with various gifts from the team and a certificate honoring their achievement. The WooSox have already invested $40,000 into the college funds of local students in just one season.

The WooSox introduced the “WooSox Book Nook” in the Worcester Public Library — a collection of baseball-themed books donated by WooSox President Dr. Charles Steinberg and WooSox Chairman of the Board Larry Lucchino. The Book Nook provides young readers a chance to learn the history of baseball and the power of sports in community while developing their reading skills.

“We are so happy, so proud, and so grateful to so many for recognizing the special bond between the Worcester Red Sox and the Greater Worcester community,” said Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles A. Steinberg. “Larry Lucchino has established charitable foundations with every franchise he has led, and he has committed that we would be active participants in the community; we are thrilled to honor that commitment. In particular, our thanks go to the leaders and the residents of ‘The Heart of the Commonwealth.’ Their compassion and excitement inspire these synergistic collaborations. May this year, our rookie year, only be the beginning.”

Tagged as : Allergy Awareness, Autism Awareness, Awards, Boston Red Sox, Cancer Awareness, Children's Health and Development, Donations, Education/Teacher Support, Family Relief/Resources, International League, Massachusetts, Military & Veterans, Public Recognition/Celebrations/Events, Scholarships, Small Business Assistance, Supporting the Community, Worcester Red Sox { }

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Welcome to clubphilanthropy.com!

Minor League Baseball clubs have been actively involved in their communities for many years. For the first time, their activities and contributions will be chronicled on this site.

Clubs don’t publicize all of their activity, so these stories represent a mere fraction of the contributions MiLB clubs make to their communities every year.

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