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Helping to Revive Baseball in Inner Cities

• Baseball season begins in Philadelphia
• Rookie and RBI League season kicks off!

The Phillies RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program began in 1993 as a part of Major League Baseball's international RBI campaign, which today encompasses more than 200 cities and as many as 120,000 male and female participants a year.


The RBI Leagues focus on instruction and also have a competitive nature. Participants have the opportunity to capitalize on their learned skills during true game situations. Though RBI was open to boys and girls, both were playing baseball. Softball was folded into the RBI program in 1995. The integration of softball has helped the number of teenagers participating in Phillies RBI Leagues in the area grow to over 2,000 participants in over 20 locations.

In addition to the traditional RBI Leagues, the program supports three All-star teams - a Junior (13-15 years) and Senior (16-18 years) boys baseball team and a girls softball team (15-18 years). These teams travel and compete in MLB sponsored local and regional RBI competitions for the opportunity to play in the RBI World Series held each year in August.

The RBI Leagues are sponsored by Turkey Hill.

 • A Phillies Rookie League Banner
 • A uniform, T-shirt and hat for each participant
 • Catcher's equipment
 • Bases
 • Batting helmets
 • Bats
 • Baseballs

For the past five years, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has been the Rookie and RBI League Chairman. Chase loves working with the children and has met with members of the Rookie and RBI Leagues on several occasions to give baseball tips, answer questions, sign autographs and help hand out gloves to those in need.

Each year participants of the RBI Leagues have the opportunity to participate in various special events.

Fifty plus coaches from the Phillies Rookie and RBI League program came together at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center - a Phillies Rookie/RBI League site - for the sixth Annual Rookie and RBI Coaches Clinic. Juan Namnum, head coach of the Frankford High School Pioneers , instructed coaches on the fundamentals of baseball. RBI/Rookie Coaching Clinic photo gallery

The Phillies hosted their first umpire clinic for coaches and volunteers of the local Phillies Rookie leagues. During the clinic, coaches of the various Rookie and RBI leagues had the opportunity to ask questions that often dealt with how to call a play. Instructors helped explained the different hand gestures that signal different calls (ie. a strike call). They even went in depth to cover the proper field position an umpire should be in to call a play at a base.

Some lucky members of the Phillies Rookie and RBI program in West Philadelphia were treated to a baseball clinic run by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.

Each year the Phillies provide tickets to the RBI players, many who have never attended a professional baseball game, and coaches to come out and cheer on the home team.

Lucky RBI participants had the privilege to attend an exclusive clinic presented by AutoTrader and instructed by Hall of Famer Goose Gossage. Selected because they were pitchers and catchers, they were instructed on proper pitching techniques.

In recognition of the mid-summer classic in July, the Phillies held their own All-Star festivities. Players joined us for some "phun in the sun" taking part in an assortment of baseball games and activities. Those who attended were treated to a visit from the Phillie Phanatic, Turkey Hill Dairy products and gift bags from Citizens Bank.

The Phillies appreciate the contributions of each league leader and coach who throughout the baseball season work hard to give the children in their leagues the opportunity to play ball. In recognition of their efforts, the Phillies invite all the league leaders and special guest to a Phillies game and a special Rooftop party filled with food.

In addition, Phillies RBI League sponsor Turkey Hill Dairy cotributes $100 per Phillies win and five cents per carton of Phillies Graham Slam Ice Cream sold to the RBI Leagues. Members of the RBI League help us say thank you with a special on field presentation. Also honored on the field was the 2008 RBI League Coach of the Year Paul Johnson of the Phillies 16-18 year old P.S.I. League.

Members of several Rookie and RBI league were invited to Citizens Bank Park to participate in PLAY (Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth). The program was run by Phillies trainers, to enhance knowledge on healthy life styles. Included was information on nutrition and strength and conditioning.

A select baseball team made up of members from different teams in the Phillies Junior RBI intercity league travelled to Reading, PA for a game against an All-Star team from the Boys & Girls Club of Reading. The Philadelphia team travelled by bus and played their game in the home of the Reading Phillies.

 •  The team must be located in an area that serves children who are unable to afford to play in an organized baseball league without assistance
 •  Must have dedicated personnel to organize and run the league.
 •  A league is made up of a minimum of four teams of the same age level. You may have more than one league at your location, for example, 13-14 year old league and a 15-16 year old league for a total of at least eight teams.

• Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, Middletown, DE  • Cibotti PSI RBI, Philadelphia  • Columbus Square, Philadelphia  • Cruz Recreation Center, Philadelphia  • District 9 Girls Softball, Philadelphia  • Elmwood Park, Philadelphia  • Edward O'Malley A.A., Philadelphia  • FAJR 2 ISHA, Philadelphia  • Feltonville Boys and Girls Club, Philadelphia  • Finnegan Playground, Philadelphia  • Germantown Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia  • Germantown Wolverines, Philadelphia  • Hank Gathers, Philadelphia  • Heston PSI RBI, Philadelphia  • Hunting Park, Philadelphia  • Hunting Park Ballers, Philadelphia  • Ivy Hill, Philadelphia  • Kingsessing Recreation, Philadelphia  • Marion Anderson Recreation, Philadelphia  • Martin Luther King Recreation, Philadelphia  • Newark Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, Newark, DE  • Norris Square, Philadelphia

• North Hills, Philadelphia  • North Light/Venice Island, Philadelphia  • North Philly Flames, Philadelphia  • Northeast A's, Philadelphia  • Northwest Raiders, Philadelphia  • Overbrook Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Overbrook Park Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Parents of Carmella Youth Association, Philadelphia  • Pleasant Panthers, Philadelphia  • Sayre/Morris PSI RBI, Philadelphia  • Shepard Playground PSI RBI, Philadelphia  • South Philadelphia Girls Softball, Philadelphia  • Southeast Youth Athletic Association, Philadelphia  • Tabor Rams, Philadelphia  • The Lighthouse, Philadelphia  • Tioga RBI League, Philadelphia  • W.E.M.A. (Delaware) Youth League, Middletown, DE  • West Kensington Boys & Girls Club, Philadelphia  • West Oak Lane Stars, Philadelphia  • Whitman Park Youth Association, Camden, NJ

If you are interested in learning more about the Phillies RBI Leagues or to see if your organization qualifies, e-mail fandev@phillies.com or call 215.463.1000.