More Than 100 NYCHA Kids Learn Baseball With MLB Stars In W'burg

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — For 11-year-old Danil Figueroa, last Saturday was a special day. The Ocean Bay resident traveled up to Williamsburg with his mom to learn baseball for the first time, but maybe even more exciting was who he got to learn it from — Major League Baseball stars.

Danil was one of 132 children from 16 different New York City Housing complexes across three boroughs that got to train and play with former MLB athletes as part of a new program run by RDC Development, a company that partners with the city to make NYCHA renovations. The program, called Heart of the City Baseball Initiative, hopes to bring baseball to kids, like Danil, who may not have the opportunity to learn the sport otherwise.

Getting the opportunity to learn something new, and to get out of the house, was one of the reasons Danil and his family decided to come up to Williamsburg for the day, his mom Yoselin Perez said.

"This was really important because I did not know that Danil was able to play baseball," Perez said. "He loves basketball, but they don’t have baseball teams around here, they just have basketball. I wanted him to try it and see if he might enjoy it."

At the event, former MLB players Jeffrey Hammonds and Dave Gallagher coached the children about baseball, healthy eating and the importance of exercise and teamwork. Each player was given a free baseball glove, hat, t-shirt and water bottles from sponsoring organizations.

Danil said the event was fun, with the added bonus it was the first time he'd met a famous athlete, and that it made him want to try baseball again.

"We were learning how to catch balls and hit the baseballs with the bat, and did drills that baseball teams would do," Danil said. "It was outstanding because I had never met a very famous baseball player before."

The event was a collaboration between RDC, Major League Baseball Players Trust, NYCHA, HDMH Rawlings and Williamsburg Athletics League.

The development company said the enthusiasm of those who attended is encouraging as they continue to grow the Heart of Baseball Initiative.

The initiative will bring the opportunity and equipment to learn baseball to underserved children, likely at each of RDC's renovation properties. The goal would be to connect the children with exiting baseball leagues and, eventually, create a NYCHA league of their own.

A project that, for Danil's family at least, will likely be embraced by the residents.

"I would really like for them to continue to do this, or have a team for the kids," Perez said. "I would really, really like that."