MLB, Mariners partner up to renovate Rainier Playfield

SEATTLE -- On a crisp and sunny Sunday morning, hundreds of people gathered around the infield at Rainier Playfield in southeast Seattle. Many children were seen with their baseball and softball equipment ready to take action that day, but in the future, they’ll be playing on a renovated field that will positively impact the community for years to come.

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As part of the All-Star Legacy initiative, MLB, the Mariners, and the Mariners Care Foundation will renovate Rainier Playfield, adding turf to the infield of both the baseball and softball fields -- which is crucial in the Pacific Northwest because of the rain. The renovations will help high school varsity softball teams and local youth leagues. The goal is to increase access for youth who come from diverse and low-income families.

“We love this project because of the multiple fields, the fact that it's going to serve young people of all levels all the way from beginners, right up through high school,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the groundbreaking event. “Most important is the location. ... We want to attract all kids to our game, but we feel a special obligation to make sure that there's no economic barrier to any kid playing baseball.

“Baseball teaches great values, and we hope through projects like this, we're going to continue to build the diversity in our game.”

Rainier Playfield is located in the Seward Park/Rainier Valley neighborhood in southeast Seattle, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city, and it is in the hub of the community. The King County Play Equity Coalition did a study that revealed only 19% of youth in King County get the CDC-recommended amount of activity per year.

It’s MLB's mission to create more access to baseball in underrepresented communities.

“That's why the Mariners and MLB are making an investment to change that statistic,” executive vice president and general counsel Fred Rivera said. “Rainier Playfield is special. This is a very special part of the community, that's why we do want to invest in this community.”

Since 1997, MLB has donated upward of $100 million to host communities through the All-Star Legacy program. MLB and the Mariners will donate $2 million to the community this year. The money will go toward causes like field renovations, but another project that was highlighted was the activation of the H9 league, a workout and intramural league engaging middle school-aged students to play ball in their “backyard.” The program will include uniforms and grants for the participants.

“We know that playing ball helps increase physical activity, it helps in terms of building lifelong skills, teamwork and independence,” vice president of social responsibility and community affairs April Brown said. “We want to make sure that our sport is accessible to every young person across this country.

“We're just thrilled to be here in Seattle to be able to invest $2 million right back into the community to help close equity gaps and remove barriers for every individual.”

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell was one of the speakers at the event. In his State of the City address, Harrell emphasized the importance of rejuvenating the downtown area and creating a safe space for the community. However, he said what is equally important to him are communities outside of the tourist areas, where people go about their daily lives. Harrell knows it first-hand, as he spent his youth playing and coaching at Rainier Play Field.

“I can't overstate the impact this legacy investment will have for our city,” Harrell said. “For our south-end communities, for the next generation of All-Star baseball players who will grow up on this field right here where we're standing right now.”