It began with a charitable but seemingly small-scale idea. A man in Newtown, Pa. wanted to donate some old youth baseball equipment that still was in great shape.Soon, volunteers from throughout the community joined the effort—leading to a packed garage full of quality baseball gear.
Enter SIU-contracted CSX Lines, the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Roberto Clemente Sports City, which coordinated efforts to transport the equipment to kids in Puerto Rico. CSX Lines voluntarily carried the cargo from Elizabeth, N.J. to Carolina, P.R. aboard the SIU-crewed CSX Hawaii. The parent company also arranged for ground transportation in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico.
“Youths are the future of baseball. By providing baseball equipment to those less fortunate, we are ensuring that baseball continues to develop for a new generation of aspiring athletes,” said Brad Horn, a spokesman for the Baseball Hall of Fame. “The generosities of CSX Lines, the Roberto Clemente Sports City and the volunteers that provided this equipment are symbols of the enduring spirit found in this great game.”
The Clemente Sports City is a popular, multi-purpose athletics and education center named in memory of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ late right fielder who died in a plane crash while on a humanitarian mission in December 1972. Clemente posthumously entered the Hall of Fame the following year.
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