By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos by Ricky Flo
The past week has been one for the ages for 50 HBCU baseball players/student athletes.
After participating in practices and various community service events, the athletes then played in the 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic at Globe Life Field, as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities in Arlington.
The next day the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, partnered with Mark Cuban Heroes Baseball Center for The Suit Up Experience. The Experience featured student athletes receiving head-to-toe care as well as suits, ties, shoes, socks and haircuts. Students also enjoyed a luncheon where they heard from State Sen. Royce West and Jean Lee Batrus, executive director of the MLB Youth Development Foundation.
The young men also took part in a number of workshops, covering everything from etiquette and grooming tips, wardrobe styling, and shoeshine and tie-tying tutorials, to financial literacy, career readiness, healthy living, mental health and more.
“Whether or not these young men pursue careers on the baseball field, The Suit Up Experience is just another way to spotlight and develop our HBCU student-athletes into major league citizens,” said Batrus.
Dorothy Gentry is an award-winning journalist, PR pro and educator. A University of North Texas alum, she is the Sports Editor for Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger.
