It’s with extreme excitement that Friends of Baseball would like to announce an amazing and unique opportunity to distribute $1 Million worth of adidas cleats to youth baseball players in Oregon and throughout the US. Let me clarify, this is 2 semi –truck trailers full of over 11,000 cleats! Wow, we are pumped!

Over the last few weeks FOB has been working with our valued partners at adidas, figuring out a way to get these in the hands and on the feet of those who need and deserve them the most. Through careful planning and consideration, we found a way to distribute the cleats to 22, 500-cleat “hubs” across the US charging a minimal shipping and handling fee of $3/pair which will go back into the FOB fund – helping FOB stay sustainable well into 2013! Words can’t express our excitement and appreciation to be a part of this distribution program over the coming months. The chance to not only help throughout our home state, but to expand further into the US, for the first time, is priceless for our organization and we can’t wait to see how this plays out. For further information, click here!

We will be sure to keep you posted on progress and share pictures of this program so you can share in our excitement first hand. Thanks to all of our supporters and partner providers like adidas, we would not be here and able to help without you!

Yamhill Carlton Baseball is a wonderful organization that’s working hard to bring back the baseball program in their community.  They’re busy restoring their High School fields through some amazing in-kind support from their friends and neighbors.  Friends of Baseball will be providing $1000 to purchase four regulation bats for their High School Program.

Willamina High School has found amazing support for developing a new “Home Field” for their community.  Through grants and in-kind support from families who “have that place in their heart” for their baseball program they’re very close to finalizing this wonderful new field.  We saw this program rounding third and have authorized a $2,500 grant in helping them reach home …

Southwest Portland Little League  came to the realization that their playing fields were deteriorating at a rapid pace.  Poor upkeep from the municipalities has made some of these fields marginally playable.  The Southwest Portland Little League Board has created a fund to take on one to two fields each year in order to restore them to their glory.  This type of planning and community support is what Friends of Baseball is all about.  A grant of $2,500 will be added to this fund that will ensure the safety of our game for years to come in this area.

Colton High School, Roosevelt High School and Madison High School recently received $3,000 in batting gloves to outfit their Varsity Teams.  These are teams with great traditions who have very limited resources available in their community.  In Partnership with Nike, we were able to give these teams a Boost for their season.  And, thanks to the generosity of Chris Carter we were recently able to present a $500 gift certificate from League Direct to Lents Little League for new equipment.  Thanks for your continued support Nike and Chris!

Bill “Spaceman” Lee and his newest fans…

On March 22^nd Friends of Baseball held their second annual Film Festival.  This year we had the pleasure of screening “High and Outside,” a documentary on the life and career of Bill “Spaceman” Lee.  This very successful event brought in an enthusiastic crowd who helped us to raise in excess of $16,000 to be dedicated to our programs that  assist Oregon’s underserved teams and players.  Thanks Bill, and thanks to all those who attended and participated in this essential event for FOB.

Bill “Spaceman” Lee taking some time for his young fans…a true gentleman.

It has been recently announced that John Conzano and 95.5 The Game will conduct a live remote for John’s Sports Radio show from the 2012 Friends of Baseball Film Festival! This opportunity came thanks to Safeway’s generous support of Friends of Baseball. We are lining up some great interviews and guests for this program. I can hardly wait for the “Bald-Faced Truth,” when Bill “Spaceman” Lee comes on the show! 

Could Tickets to Fenway Park for a game between the “Yanks & Sox” be on your “Bucket List?”

We have secured Two Pairs of amazing seats at Fenway Park for Red Sox games this summer to be auctioned off at the Film Festival Reception!  These were secured by another one of our generous partners Nike~Converse. This is just a “Sneak Peek” of what our amazing board and our partners have contributed for this event!  Watch for further details and announcements to come!

I’ll bet you too, are a “Deserving All-Star!”

We’ve just been notified by our contacts at Major League Baseball that they will be providing us with two tickets to the MLB All-Star Game for our Auction during the Friends of Baseball’s Film Festival & Reception March 22nd!

2012 All-Star Game
July 10^th 2012
Kaufman Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri

Follow this link for full details and registration for the 2012 Friends of Baseball Film Festival:
www.friendsofbaseball.org/filmfestival

Friends of Baseball Announces Grants!

Our Board of Trustees has been very busy in recent weeks finalizing financial and in-kind grant awards!  Eighteen youth baseball and softball programs will receive in-kind equipment grants and two teams will receive financial grant awards representing over $20,000 in resource funding. 

Lents Little League has maintained a terrific program in Southeast Portland for many years.  The past year, however, brought a combination of unexpected challenges and financial responsibilities.  Our board is pleased to share its support and confidence in Lent’s Little League by awarding a $500 grant that will be used to purchase much-needed equipment.

The Corvallis Boys and Girls Club was also hit with unforeseen challenges involving major structural and safety issues with their fields.  This great organization provides scholarships to over 20% of the families with children participating in their baseball and softball programs.  Our Board has awarded them $2,000 to address field concerns in 2012. C.B.&.G Club and FOB will jointly host a Coaches’ Clinic on March 17^th at their facility.  Come and join us! For details visit this Link:

http://www.friendsofbaseball.org/corvallisclinic/

We recently announced that Bill “Spaceman” Lee will headline our 2012 Film Festival on March 22, 2012!  Bill’s storied and somewhat eccentric career is legendary for his years in Major League Baseball and with the Boston Red Sox.  Please join us for a benefit screening of a documentary film about Bill’s career entitled: “High and Outside.”  Following the film there will be a reception with Bill sharing details about his days in the “Show.”  For additional information and tickets please follow this LINK 

For more information and to register follow this LINK

We are very excited to “Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun” by hosting two clinics in preparation for the 2012 Season.  By popular demand, Coach Dave Gasser will conduct these clinics in Portland on January 15^th and in Corvallis on March 17^th.  Over the years our clinics have brought tremendous insight in building the skills for our coaches.  For information on how you or your league can participate in one of these powerful sessions, simply follow these LINKS:

Portland Coaches Clinic

http://www.friendsofbaseball.org/pdxclinic/

Corvallis Coaches Clinic

http://www.friendsofbaseball.org/corvallisclinic/

Friends of Baseball’s Mission is to offer Oregon’s economically and geographically challenged children enhanced opportunities for social interaction, academic success and physical and mental well-being through participation in youth baseball and softball team programs.

Friends of Baseball was founded in 2005 by a father, son and Board of Trustees driven by their passion to give back to the community of youth baseball and softball that they love. Friends of Baseball and their partner providers offer league-sustaining goods, services and in-kind support to youth organizations that exhibit compelling need. Youth baseball and softball programs face many ongoing challenges including loss of playing venues, diminished community resources and increased responsibility for field preparation to simply play “their game.” To meet these growing needs, Friends of Baseball has received designation as a 501©(3) nonprofit in order to better partner with Family and Corporate Foundations and enhance our financial resources for those teams and regions currently underserved. 

Through their desire to create a “safety net” for leagues that find their programs at risk, seed funding has been established by FOB’s founders. These funds, along with the generous support of those who share our vision — “our partner providers” — have allowed us to provide collaborative support, beginning in N.W. Oregon. We are now seeking opportunities through additional contributions fundraising and donations to build upon our initial “footprint” by expanding our impact throughout Oregon. 

Friends of Baseball began nearly 30 years ago. Our founders, Keenan and Ben Longcor, share a lifelong love of baseball that strengthened the bond between them. Through youth baseball, Ben and Keenan were able to spend time together, talk to each other, and reflect together on the life lessons that baseball has to offer us all. Friends of Baseball grew out of a passion for this sport, and the relationship between a father and son.

Whether through something in youth baseball, or in sharing the excitement of a major league game, the years brought Keenan and Ben dozens of trips to ballparks in the Pacific Northwest and around the United States. They created memories, shared victory and loss, and had the opportunity to learn values, sportsmanship and a mutual understanding found in the simplicity of a time-tested game of integrity.

Many years later, it is time to give back to the sport and community that helped to create these lifelong memories … and for them to begin again. The founding hope is that through Friends of Baseball, other parents and children will kindle a similar bond found in a shared passion, vision, communication, inspiration, and through common understanding.

Want to find out more? Check out our Vision Statement.

Friends of Baseball is honored that Bill will be the Featured Speaker for our second annual Film Festival, fundraiser and benefit screening of this wonderful and revealing film history of his engaging and colorful career.  Plan now for a Riotously Fun Evening…watch for a registration link on this website December 1st!

Bill “Spaceman” Lee in “High & Outside”

Event: FOB Film Festival — Bill “Spaceman” Lee in  “High & Outside” 

Date: March 22, 2012
Venue: Scottish Rite Center, Portland OR
Tickets Available: December 1st
View film trailer here.