This article originally ran April 2, 2009 on nj.com
Children playing in the North Ward Center's Little League will benefit from a relationship forged with the new owners of the Newark Bears baseball team.
The Bears have agreed to provide uniforms for the North Ward Center teams, host seven baseball clinics for inner city children and open Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium for Little League games when the team isn't playing.
The Bears announced their partnership with The North Ward Center and other community groups during a press conference today at the stadium.
"We're thrilled the new owners of the Bears are reaching out to the community," said Stephen Adubato, the founder of the North Ward Center. "The North Ward Center and the Newark Bears will work together to ensure the success of baseball in Newark. Baseball is an American sport. To not have baseball in Newark would be missing part of life in Newark."
Dozens of children from the North Ward Center's Robert Treat Academy charter school and the New Jersey Regional Day School who attended today's press conference learned about Newark's role in baseball history and heard from some of the greats in baseball, including Hall of Famer Earl "Ozzie" Smith, whose 22-year old son, Dustin, is expected to play for the Bears this season.
The Bases Loaded Group purchased the team out of bankruptcy last year and plans a variety of special events throughout the season to attract fans to the 11-year old stadium.
The Bears announced a star-studded opening weekend beginning Friday, May 1, when retired Gen. Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state under President George W. Bush, is expected to throw out the first pitch and Grammy Award winner Patti Labelle belts out the Star Spangled Banner. Proceeds of the game will be donated to America's Promise Alliance, the national children's advocacy organization founded by Powell.
Rashard Casey, the director of the North Ward Center's Recreation and Youth Development Program, said the North Ward Center's relationship with the Bears is a win-win for both organizations.
"By reaching out to community groups like ours, the new owners of the Newark Bears have already shown their commitment to making the team a success," Casey said. "Our children will benefit by being able to participate in all the exciting activity at the stadium, including clinics with professional players."
The North Ward Center has a long history with baseball in Newark.
For the last 30 years, the North Ward Center has run youth baseball and softball for children ages 5 to 16. The Little League program is open to girls and boys ages 5 through 12 and softball is open to girls 9 through 16. The North Ward Center's Little League season opens Saturday, April 25 with a parade along Bloomfield Avenue, ending at Branch Brook Park, where the league plays on the Rick Cerrone and Jerry Greco fields.
The North Ward Center also fields all-star teams in the CERBO Baseball League for children 14 and under, 12 and under and 10 and under. The teams started play last weekend and will continue through the second weekend in June. Players come from the North Ward Center's Little League. The Newark Bears have agreed to supply the uniforms for children playing on the all-star teams.
For more than 25 years, the NWC has partnered with Puerto Rico through the Little League Sport Exchange Program. Members of the sports exchange team are selected from throughout Newark, so that each ward Little League has a representative. In addition to having athletic ability, players must exhibit good sportsmanship qualities, have a good academic standing and exhibit strong leadership skills.
In addition to running a baseball league, the North Ward Center also a youth basketball program.
The North Ward Center believes that through learning the basic skills of basketball, baseball and softball, boys and girls acquire leadership skills, understand the value of cooperating with their peers and coaches and practice healthy lifestyle habits.
The North Ward Center's Recreation and Youth Development Program serves nearly 3,000 children annually and is the largest private program of its kind in New Jersey.
