The Washington Nationals are using their World Series run to help local kids who enjoy playing baseball.
During a ceremony Friday, the team announced that it was directing a $25,000 donation from Major League Baseball, to Payne Elementary School in Southeast D.C. for a renovation of the school’s baseball field.
“Boys and girls use this field, play on it and learn about the values that your Washington Nationals have displayed,” said Gregory McCarthy, the Nats’ senior vice president of community engagement. “I want to thank Major League Baseball for the generosity.”
The money came from a new charity initiative from MLB.
In the past, the league has donated money to the city that hosts the All-Star Game. This year, that effort has been expanded to include both ballclubs that make the World Series.
“What we’ve done is take our All-Star Legacy initiative and brought it into the World Series,” said Melanie LeGrande, MLB’s vice president of social responsibility. “For the first time, we have invested some funds into the host communities. We are leaving a lasting legacy and making sure that after the last out, they will still be here doing great things.”
The baseball field getting the makeover at Payne Elementary is home to Capitol Hill Little League, which has 700 young players in it aged 5 to 16.
“One thing that the Nats have done in coming back to Washington, D.C. is invest in our [Little League] players,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said. “This Little League exemplifies what bringing baseball back to D.C. has meant.”
The ceremony came before Game 3 of the World Series, which was the first game played at Nationals Park following the two first games in Houston.
Earlier in the week, the Astros announced that they were funneling their donation into the Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centers.
