2008 Baseball Outreach A Success
Amaury Telemaco speaks about his life as a major league baseball player and his future with Baseball Chapel in the Dominican Republic.
“Baseball is a passion for us,” said Dominican Amaury Telemaco former Major League pitcher. “If you make it, you and your family will be set financially.” Telemaco continued explaining how he learned baseball on the streets of a sugarcane village using a tree branch for a bat, a milk carton for a glove and his father’s sock covered with rubber as a baseball.
SCORE International has taken the Dominicans’ passion for baseball and used it as an opportunity to reach thousands of people with the Gospel through the annual November Baseball Outreach.
Last week, 256 people arrived from the United States in Santo Domingo to participate in the 5th Annual Baseball Outreach. Five groups traveled each day to a different town providing a baseball clinic with teaching stations for batting, fielding, catching and pitching. “I’m amazed by the children’s dedication to excel and become great,” said participant Jonathan Daniel from Raleigh, North Carolina. “But it’s their only way out of poverty, and through baseball we can share Christ which will impact them for eternity.”
During the five day outreach, more than 15,000 people heard the Gospel and over 2,000 decisions were made for Christ. But it wasn’t just Dominicans who came to Christ during the Baseball Outreach. Each morning and evening the men heard from speakers, Walt Wiley, former chaplain of the Braves and Pastor Ken Whitten from Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, Florida. Several men who came to give to the Dominican community walked away with more—eternal life. “This is more than a baseball missions trip,” said John Zeller, Executive Vice President of SCORE. “It’s a Bible conference.” Ron Polk, former baseball coach of Mississippi State agreed, “Being around Godly people for five days rejuvenates you.”
At the end of the week, Telemaco walked out of the SCORE hotel, flashing his contagious smile while remembering his days in the Big Leagues. “I played for sixteen years, but the most valuable thing I can share is my faith–that’s what I am doing here.”
John Zeller speaks to a group of players before starting a baseball clinic in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.
A young player fills out a SCORE card after making a decision for Christ.
Ron Polk teaches batting during a baseball clinic in the Dominican Republic.
Tim Daniel sprays sunscreen on his brother Jonathan's face before a baseball clinic in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.
Baseball slideshow soon to come.
