MLB Community Initiatives

Major League Baseball annually recognizes April 15 as the most significant moment in league history - the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. MLB sets this day aside in an effort to highlight the life, values and accomplishments of Jackie Robinson. All players throughout the league wear #42 on this day every year.

The Reds participate in Major League Baseball's "Go To Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative as a way to increase awareness and early detection and to raise funds to support research. Each year on Mother's Day, players wear pink ribbons, wristbands, shoes and used pink bats in honor of breast cancer awareness.

The PLAY BALL initiative is baseball's collective effort to encourage young people and communities to engage in baseball- or softball-related activities.

Pitch Hit & Run is Major League Baseball's free skills competition for boys and girls ages 7-14. For each division, the first place all-around champion in pitching, hitting, and running will advance through to the next level, earning opportunities to compete inside Major League ballparks and at the All-Star Game.

Major League Baseball celebrates Roberto Clemente Day league-wide to honor the legacy of the Hall of Famer's humanitarian efforts. Not long after recording his 3,000th career hit, Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash while delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente exemplified baseball's unique responsibility as a social institution and its ability to improve people's lives.

This year, the Reds presented the Roberto Clemente Award to Tucker Barnhart. Tucker represents the game of baseball through sportsmanship, community involvement and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

Breaking Barriers: In Sports, In Life is a baseball-themed character education program developed by Major League Baseball and Scholastic Inc. Using America's sport, baseball, as the metaphor for life, the curriculum is based on the values demonstrated by barrier breaker Jackie Robinson: Determination, Commitment, Persistence, Integrity, Justice, Courage, Teamwork, Citizenship, and Excellence.

Major League Baseball, ESPN and X Games have teamed up with the nonprofit 'No Bully' in order to create an anti-bullying initiative called 'Shred Hate'. The goal is to eliminate bullying and encourage kindness across our youth through the educational programs they have created. The curriculum has already reached over 202,000 students and 16,000 teachers. For more information or to access the downloadable lessons, please visit the link below.