Baseball is considered by many to be America’s pastime. Over the years however, folks in major cities would rather run on a basketball court or a football field than run the diamond.

It’s exponentially cheaper for folks to buy a basketball, gym shoes and football cleats, rather than purchasing bats, gloves, etc.

Seeing the need for that change in his own community, Philadelphia native Andre Butler organized the Jackie Robinson West Philadelphia League. A north Philly native and assistant baseball coach at DeSales University, Butler saw the need to expose folks that look like him to the game because he was afforded that opportunity. “Even as a young kid I realized that the there’s lack of opportunity,” Butler tells The Source.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy, the Jackie Robinson League is a feeder system for the Anderson Monarchs. The Monarchs, coached by Steve Bandura are Philadelphia’s nationally known travel team. The team even counts Little League World Series participants Mo’ne Davis and Scott Bandura as notables from that system.

Last month, the league hosted its first ever College Day, where players and coaches from DeSales University, University of Pennsylvania and Arcadia University spent the afternoon teaching fifty players ages 9 and under the fundamentals of base running, throwing, hitting and catching. Players who attended will be invited back to the league for its traditional summer season which will begin at the end of May.

Check Out College Day

As the leaves change color and the Little League baseball season is now over, professional football, playoff baseball and basketball are underway and the focus for the Jackie Robinson League is funding. They Jackie Robinson West Philly league is looking to run every year and will be holding various fundraisers locally in Philadelphia. The money that they raise will go toward field maintenance and equipment for the players. “There’s opportunity for inner city players to get better at the game that I learned to love,” said Butler.

For more information on the league make sure to visit their Facebook Page by CLICKING HERE