FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUSTIN VERLANDER SUPPORTS DETROIT’S YOUTH BASEBALL PLAYERS
Cleat donation helps spark excitement for upcoming youth baseball season

November 3, 2009 (Detroit):  The holidays came early for over 50 inner city kids from Detroit.  Last week Detroit Tiger Justin Verlander donated 52 baseball and softball cleats to Think Detroit PAL, making the upcoming holiday season just a little bit sweeter for our players.  The cleats will be used by youth participating on all-star teams in the Detroit Youth Baseball League.

The DYBL’s travel baseball and softball programs allow the most skilled baseball players in the Detroit Youth Baseball League to compete against some of the best players from other parts of the country.  Donations of equipment and uniforms help to cut don on costs for the players and the co-sponsors of the league, Think Detroit PAL and Orchards Children’s Services..

"It's both personally rewarding and humbling to be able to support a great organization such as Think Detroit PAL,”  said Verlander.  “ I'm glad I was able to help some of the deserving kids in the wonderful city of Detroit. "

“This is a wonderful opportunity, not only for our program, but for the children who play the game,” said Dan Varner, CEO of Think Detroit PAL.  “The support provided by Justin Verlander is a great testament to his dedication to the youth of the city and to youth baseball.”

The DYBL selects all-star teams in three age groups (15 & under boys; 18 & under boys; and 19 & under girls).  These all-star teams compete in local and regional tournaments, and ultimately participate in the regional RBI tournament which, if they win, leads to the RBI World Series, a gathering of the best urban ball players from around the country.  RBI stands for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, and is a youth baseball initiative of Major League Baseball.

Think Detroit PAL was formed on March 1, 2006, by the merger of two of the leading youth development organizations in the Detroit area:  Think Detroit, Inc. and the Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL). The organization is one of the largest non-profit urban youth development programs in the nation, and serves nearly 12,000 young people annually through athletic, academic, and leadership development programs.

For more information, to volunteer, or to make a donation, please contact Think Detroit PAL at 313.833.1600 or on the web at www.thinkdetroitpal.org.