Michael Coker/Black College Nines
Major League Baseball Urban Invitational returns to New Orleans for the second consecutive year with MLB continue commitment to bring America’s pastime back to urban youth and their communities with a three-day tournament designed to showcase the baseball programs at historically black colleges and universities HBCUs.
Major League Baseball maintains its ongoing diversity efforts with programs for inner city youth to participate in baseball with MLB Urban Youth Academies and MLB Charities RBI Programs that recognizes the importance of boosting academic excellence with athletic skills with initiatives to help provide financial assistance to youth who participate in both programs which spreads nearly over the entire country.
MLB provide the funds for annual scholarships for selected RBI players who demonstrate academic excellence, athletic and leadership skills and financial need that plan to attend a “two-year or four-year college or university”. Through the encouragement of education, MLB will provide youths the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.
Major League Baseball first launched the Urban Invitation in 2008 making it an annual collegiate baseball tournament placing a spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The tournament will feature three HBCU schools, two from Louisiana, Grambling State University and Southern University along with Alcorn State University Alcorn, Mississippi), as well as the University of New Orleans. Six games will be played between the four schools, with the University of New Orleans hosting games on all three days.
MLB Network and MLB.com will both air Saturday’s contest live. The baseball challenge beginning with the first pitch slated for Friday, February 20th through Sunday, February 22nd.
MLB will broadcast before the first game MLB Network presents “Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues” starting at 1:00PM. “Based on Letters Jackie Robinson wrote from 1945 to his untimely passing in 1972, this special focuses on Robinson at the end of his playing days and into his active role in politics and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s” 2:00PM.
College Urban Invitational Live Saturday 2/21/2015:
Alcorn State vs. Grambling from New Orleans at 3:00PM
Southern vs. University of New Orleans from New Orleans 7:00PM
“Go to College Urban Invitational Live”
Game Schedule for The Tournament:
Friday, February 20, 3:00 p.m. @ New Orleans: Grambling State University vs. Southern University
Friday, February 20, 6:00 p.m. @ University of New Orleans (UNO): Alcorn State University at University of New Orleans
Saturday, February 21, 2:00 p.m. @ UNO: Alcorn State University vs. Grambling State University, (will air LIVE on MLB Network and MLB.com)
Saturday, February 21, TBD @ UNO: Southern University at University of New Orleans (will air LIVE on MLB Network and MLB.com)
Sunday, February 22, 1:00 p.m. @ New Orleans MLBUYA: Southern University vs. Alcorn State University
Sunday, February 22, 1:00 p.m. @ UNO: Grambling State University at University of New Orleans