It sounds like the free baseball camp for kids the past couple days at U.S. Cellular Community Park was a great success. I had a chance to meet a couple of organizers for the South Valley Baseball Camp Wednesday and Thursday, and the M.I.T. Sports Group folks were taken aback by the level of participation despite relatively little time to put it together. I believe they put the number at about 170 kids.
Jerry Waller and Bill Van Dusen were among those who came up from Southern California to put it on. It was free for kids ages 6 to 14, but $20 donations were welcome. The group, backed by the Kimmel Family Foundation, is to make a matching donation to Medford youth sports for every participant. They also left behind equipment they brought, including a pitching machine.
Waller and Van Dusen raved about the facility and the ease in working with Rich Rosenthal of Medford Parks and Recreation. They also were thrilled to get instructional help from Southern Oregon Riverdawgs manager Chris Wolf and his players.
Watch for it to return next year.
