Private Versus Public Baseball Competition To Resume
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Decades ago local schools like Gilman and Boys' Latin used to battle it out on the baseball diamond with city public schools like Poly and Patterson.
Mary Bubala reports that competition, "private versus public," is about to heat up again.
At City Hall, local high school baseball players keep it civil. But they're ready to compete against each other.
"It's one of the main things on our schedule that we are looking forward to," said Corey Schmidt, Friends School.
"I know we are going to win," said Travone Garrett, Dunbar Baseball. "We coming to compete. Other schools watch out."
A new citywide baseball tournament called the President's Cup will unfold on fields across the city.
"Being city players some people don't think that we can compete with some of these private schools, so it will be a good thing to showcase our talent," said Kevin Estep, Dunbar.
"It will be great to be able to play with a team that we haven't been able to face before," said John Loewenberg, Friends School.
"It's more competition coming from the private schools and it's going to make us work harder," said Charles Brown, Dunbar baseball.
The tournament is a vision of City Council President Jack Young.
"The point of the President's Cup is to strengthen the relationship between our city youth, and show them through sports their differences are not enough to keep them from learning from one another," Young said.
The Orioles are involved, with the championship game to be played at Camden Yards.
"Being able to play at Camden Yards once is a dream for every kid who wants to play baseball, to play on a major league field," said Gill Wylie, Friends School.
The tournament has gotten the attention of the commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Bud Selig praised it saying, "The President's Cup will demonstrate baseball's remarkable ability to serve as a common bond. I applaud the city of Baltimore for this initiative and I wish the best of luck to all the high school students who will compete."
"Sports is a great equalizer, a great leveler," Tim Holley, Gilman athletic director. "It should be even, that wherever you go to school or whatever neighborhood you come from, playing on that field is a leveler."
The first round of the tournament starts Saturday, April 9, culminating with the championship game on Saturday, April 16 at Camden Yards.
A kickoff event that will focus on the history of baseball in Baltimore will be held at the Sports Legends Museum on April 2.
