Chevy Hits Home Run with Successful Youth Baseball Program

The program consisted of several components including equipment and vehicle donations, as well as a partnership with the Atlanta Braves during the 2007 baseball season that presented unique game experiences for the youth players.

Now in its second year, Chevy Youth Baseball is an initiative that establishes a positive connection between local dealers and the communities in which they serve. The local dealers are partnered with the youth baseball parks/leagues based on proximity to their dealerships. Over the course of the season, the local dealers donated nearly $80,000 in team equipment kits, which included bat bags, scorebooks and t-shirts. The dealers also donated a Chevy Tahoe SUV, which was raffled off by participating teams, who collected more than $45,000 in raffle ticket sales/donations.

“Chevrolet and the Atlanta area Chevy dealers are proud to have been able to help support area youth baseball leagues and parks,” said Tim Hudgens, Chevrolet marketing manager for GM’s Southeast region. “Chevy Youth Baseball is just one example of how committed our Chevy dealers are in supporting the youth and families in the local communities in which they serve.”

Another exciting component of Chevy Youth Baseball was the Home Run Derby, a program conducted in partnership with the Atlanta Braves. For each home run hit by the Atlanta Braves at home games, an additional $250 donation was made to local youth baseball parks/leagues by the Chevy dealers. As an added bonus, the donation was doubled if the Braves won the home game. At the end of the season, the Home Run Derby total was $64,000.

During the Braves’ season, the Atlanta area Chevy dealers also provided tickets to home games for the Little League teams, where selected youth had the opportunity to participate in unique game day experiences with the Braves Tomahawk Team and the Heavy Hitters Drum Line, as well as act as Honorary Bat Boys for the Braves players. The youth players were also part of private baseball clinics at Turner Field where they received instruction from pro players. -GM news