EastBurgh Avengers Baseball Club

PHOENIX Sixty-four years ago today, the New York Times ran this headline on the front page of its sports section: Jackie Robinson quits baseball. It marked the end of one of the most important eras in sports history, one that saw the first African American play Major League Baseball in the modern era. The barriers Robinson broke remain important, but a recent decline in participation by African Americans has brought disappointment. According to a study by the Arizona-based Society of Baseball Research, participation by African American players in MLB has declined steadily since 1981 and by 2016 that number plummeted to 6.7%, the lowest percentage since 1957.

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN Hampered by excessive, old-fashioned training methods, a win-at-all-costs mentality and the heavy burden placed on parents, participation rates in Japanese youth baseball have been tumbling at a rapid pace. In an attempt to save the sport from a self-inflicted crisis, some youth clubs, sports academics and even professional players have raised their voices to push for reform of the nation’s notorious youth baseball culture.

100 days until first pitch! #AvengersAssemble Learn more about our organization at: www.eastburgh.com

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New Hardware & New Hardware. Boys of Summer are made in the winter. #AvengersAssemble

For 25 summers from a perch in the press box high above Dunn Field, Marty Chalk served as the public address announcer and official scorer for his hometown Elmira Pioneers. They were a short-season Class A team in the New York-Penn League which, as of this week, we should call the defunct New York-Penn League. Wade Boggs and Curt Schilling played their first professional seasons there. Earl Weaver managed four summers there. Don Zimmer was married at home plate there. There’s baseball history there. Elmira, N.Y., is an old manufacturing town by the Chemung River, where Dunn Field sits on its banks. What does minor league baseball mean to a town like that? Quite frankly, it means everything, Chalk said. When a team leaves, you lose some of your identity as a community, and you never get it back.

And just like that, it’s over. 4 months, 90-ish games, 100-ish innings pitched, 120-ish strikeouts, 75 RBI, 7 championships, 5 runners up, 12 different fields, ...8 different teams, and 1 exhausted child. This kid has earned a rest. Thanks to Khari and Kip and Sam and Corey and Hal and Luke and Steve and anyone else that coached him this year. See more

Long weekend doing what we love. Walked away with great memories and an MVP medal. Johnny played in 5 baseball games between GBA Greenfield and the East Burgh A...vengers with a special thanks to Glenn Myers and Khari Mosley for the invite. Johnny loves to compete and Christianna Robinson Elash and myself couldn’t be more proud. See more

5 teams. Over 30 tourneys. 2 championships, 3 runners up. One amazing season. Thank you for making this year so special. The best is yet to come. #AvengersAssemble

Congrats to our 11U Avengers on a great win today. It was great to see our buddies/teammates Dante & Cam. Game 2 @ 630pm #AvengersAssemble

Good luck 11U Avengers today in McKeesport Pony Colt Baseball's Halloween Havoc Tournament today! #AvengersAssemble