BALTIMORE — The Orioles partnered with Giant Food to host a series of youth baseball clinics at Oriole Park. On July 12, a clinic was held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with Orioles alumni Larry Sheets, Al Bumbry, Bill Swaggerty and Rick Krivda. Deontay Savoy, age 15, was one of the pre-selected youth who participated in baseball drills and received expert instruction from the alumni.
Giant Food, a Landover Maryland based company teamed up with the Baltimore Orioles to host Youth Baseball Clinics which is part of the Orioles Reach program. Over the past three years, Giant Food’s 170 stores have sponsored at least one little league team, and this is the second year that they have partnered with the Orioles on the little league clinics.
Former Orioles player Al Bumbry
“This year we have done a hand full clinics where we have brought out some of the little league players from the sponsored teams throughout the mid-Atlantic region to learn basic little league skills from former Orioles players, and they get the whole experience of being in a major league ball park, to practice in the batting cages and other skills, which is a major priority for Giant Food” said Jamie Miller, public and community relations manager for Giant.
Greg Bader, vice president of Communications and Marketing for the Baltimore Orioles said “The team strongly believes that childhood and youth development is a priority. The Orioles are always interested and involved in reading and nutrition programs for youth, also having the belief that its less about the techniques they are learning at the youth clinics, and more about the life lessons that baseball can teach them, such as, determination, how to deal with failure, how to be a good teammate, and to work for a common cause.”
Al Bumbry, former outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles, said “I enjoy doing this because I know these kids love baseball, and they sit in the stands or watch it on TV, and wish they could get to meet real players, so I try to teach them some of the fundamental things that will help them to be better players, and whenever I can do that, I am happy to do it. I did play for the Orioles and played for a long time, and I feel I have something to offer these kids.
Deontay Savoy, 15, who plays for a little league team in Annapolis Maryland expressed his thoughts on his experience at the baseball clinic. He said, “Its really a pleasure to experience this. I love playing baseball, and this helps me become more dedicated to the sport”.
The teams that participated in the clinic are: Bowie Blacksocks; Reisterstown Red Bulls, Reisterstown Baseball; Maryland Chill Youth Fast Pitch Softball Central Maryland, Western Howard County Youth Baseball and Softball; St. Raphael Giants, RBBA; Giant Food Terrapins, Burtonsville Athletic Association; South River Seahawks, SYRA; Phillies, Gainesville Haymarket Baseball League; and Express, Fairfax Little League.