By Alex Ginsberg
Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside) and former New York Mets first baseman Ed Kranepool joined representatives of Long Island City's two major housing developments Sunday afternoon at Queensbridge Park to throw out first pitches and kick off the second season of the area's only youth baseball league.
“When I was campaigning in Queensbridge, I saw so many kids just hanging around without any activities going on,” said Gioia, who told voters in 2001 that he would establish the league if elected. “Now the youth of the neighborhood have the opportunity to learn valuable teamwork and leadership skills as well as how to field a grounder.”
The league, called the Gioia-YMCA All-Stars, was born last year when Gioia approached the Long Island City YMCA, which had more than 80 years of organizing sports and recreation programs in western Queens.
“He basically said to us, 'I need a partner,'” said the YMCA's sports director, Thomas Sylvester. “We talked and our executive director said 'Let's go!'”
The league attracted 100 youngsters in its inaugural season and should have at least 150 this year, Sylvester said.
The Gioia-YMCA league includes 13 teams spanning ages 6 to 14, drawing mostly from the nearby Queensbridge Houses and Ravenswood Houses. But children from elsewhere are welcome to join. Sylvester said that last year, one player – a friend of a local resident – came from as far away as Brooklyn.
The league is a boon to poor residents of the two housing projects, who in some cases cannot afford the high cost of summer camp, Sylvester said. With funding provided by Gioia and the YMCA, the cost for the young players is only $10 per family.
“Nothing makes me happier than to see my grandson and granddaughter learning how to play baseball in the Gioia-YMCA All-Stars League,” said Nina Adams, president of the tenants association at the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing development in the country.
Adams was one of four community representatives who threw out first pitches with Gioia and Kranepool. The others included Ravenswood Resident Association President Carol Wilkins, Center of Hope International Pastor Mitchell Taylor and YMCA Executive Director Michael Keller.
The Opening Day game ended when the Sun Devils beat the Q.B. Hitters 3-2 with a thrilling bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth inning, Sylvester said.
Reach reporter Alex Ginsberg by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 157.
