Stories From Main Street: Making A Difference, One Baseball At A Time
TRUMBULL, Conn. (WCBS 880) -- A Connecticut teenager is going to bat for children who might not have the same opportunities that he's enjoyed.
"Playing travel baseball going around the state of Connecticut I saw towns like Bridgeport, New Haven. Those teams didn't have a lot of equipment, they were all using one bat," Connor Bailo, 16, of Trumbull said. "When I went to the Little League World Series... there was a team from Uganda that was playing baseball without shoes."
That's why he started the non-profit Baseballs 4 A Better Community. He collects slightly used baseballs from MLB and college teams and donates them to inner city Little Leaguers.
"I know in Harlem they say that they're losing baseballs all the time because the field wasn't very big, so you hit it out into the street, you're not going to get it back," Bailo said.
Bailo's goal is to collect 1 million baseballs.
Harlem RBI communications director Hannah Kim said the cost of baseballs adds up, and it was a huge relief when Bailo showed up with 2,000 baseballs.
"We serve over 2,000 young people with academic enrichment programs, sports programs and of course with baseball," said Kim. "A dozen can be up to $60 so it was huge."
Bailo said he just likes helping others.
"My parents have always taught me to help others before yourself, treat others the way you want to be treated," Bailo said.
