Cardinals Encourage Kids To Play Ball
CARDINALS ENCOURAGE KIDS TO PLAY BALL
Over 1,000 Area Youth to Take Part in Community Baseball and Softball Activities
ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 12, 2025 – The St. Louis Cardinals and Cardinals Care, the team’s charitable foundation, are excited to join Major League Baseball in celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend June 13-15, 2025. The team will host several engaging and inclusive events designed to inspire the next generation of players and fans to engage with the games of baseball and softball as part of MLB’s PLAY BALL initiative.
On Friday, June 6, the team planned to host two on-field clinics presented by Nike at Busch Stadium for over 500 children ages 7–13, led by Cards alumni. Due to inclement weather, the team quickly pivoted to a special packet pick-up experience, ensuring families who registered still received their PLAY BALL gear—including a T-shirt, bat and ball set, and tickets to an upcoming game.
The celebration will continue this weekend with the Cardinals Nike RBI PLAY BALL Invitational, taking place Friday through Sunday at Forest Park Aviation Fields. This tournament showcases the Cards Nike RBI baseball and softball teams and reinforces the Cardinals’ commitment to growing the game at the grassroots level. Fans can find more information about the Cardinals Nike RBI Program at cardinals.com/rbi.
On Saturday, Cards Care will host Youth Development Clinics sponsored by QuikTrip for over 500 Redbird Rookies participants at Harris-Stowe State University. Redbird Rookies is a free co-ed baseball/softball league for kids aged 5-13 who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. Alumni Scott Terry, Bernard Gilkey, Lonnie Maclin, Cliff Politte, Scott Cooper and Neil Fiala will provide instruction to young athletes throughout the day, furthering the club’s mission to make baseball and softball accessible and enjoyable for all. Fans can learn more about the Redbird Rookies Program at redbirdrookies.org.
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About Cardinals Care
Cardinals Care was established to give fans a way to team up with players and the organization to help children in our community—both on and off the baseball field. Established in 1997, Cards Care has invested over $31 million to support St. Louis area children, built or renovated 25 youth ball fields in local under-resourced neighborhoods, and distributed over $17 million in grants to nonprofit organizations.
Since 2004, Cardinals Care has orchestrated the innovative Redbird Rookies program, a free co-ed baseball/softball league for kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. In addition to providing all the uniforms and equipment needed for each team, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field support in the areas of health, education, mentoring and the cultural arts for each of the nearly 2,500 kids who participate in the program each year.
In 2023, Cardinals Care launched the Cardinals Nike Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program in cooperation with Major League Baseball to provide greater baseball and softball opportunities for youth ages 14-18 in our community. To learn more about all of Cardinals Care’s programs visit cardinals.com/community and follow @CardinalsCare on X, Facebook and Instagram.
About PLAY BALL
The PLAY BALL initiative is baseball’s collective effort to encourage young people and communities to engage in baseball or softball related activities, including formal leagues, special events and casual forms of play. PLAY BALL events have become MLB’s signature youth engagement activity during the professional and amateur baseball and softball calendar, especially on key dates throughout MLB’s Championship Season and through the Postseason & World Series.
PLAYBALL events demonstrate the positive way the game can serve as an outlet for physical activity, fun with friends and learning how to play the sport at its most basic levels. To learn more about PLAY BALL visit mlb.com/playball.
