Chicago Camp Aims to Revive Black Baseball Participation

Non-profit organization provides free baseball and softball training to local youth.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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For the past eight years, a non-profit organization in Chicago called Black Baseball Media has been running a free baseball and softball camp for local youth, with the goal of revitalizing Black participation in the sport. The camp, which takes place monthly at the Pullman Community Center, provides high-level instruction and also integrates "Leadership Huddles" to connect the principles of perseverance and discipline from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the challenges of the game.

Why it matters

Professional baseball has been struggling to increase Black participation in recent years, and initiatives like this camp in Chicago serve as an important bridge to get more young Black athletes engaged and interested in the sport. By providing free access and coaching, the camp aims to remove financial barriers that often prevent underserved communities from participating in baseball and softball.

The details

Black Baseball Media's "Play Ball" initiative hosts the free monthly camp at the Pullman Community Center, a historic and state-of-the-art facility in Chicago. Hundreds of young athletes aged 7 to 14 from Chicago and the surrounding Chicagoland area receive high-level instruction from elite coaches. In addition to baseball and softball drills, the camp also integrates "Leadership Huddles" where coaches connect principles from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., such as perseverance and discipline, to the challenges of the game.

  • Black Baseball Media has been running the camp for the past 8 years.
  • The most recent camp session took place on January 19, 2026.

The players

Black Baseball Media

A non-profit organization that aims to make baseball and softball accessible to Chicago youth, with a focus on revitalizing Black participation in the sport.

Pullman Community Center

A historic and state-of-the-art facility in Chicago that hosts Black Baseball Media's free monthly baseball and softball camp.

Earnest Horton

The CEO of Black Baseball Media, who emphasizes the importance of the Pullman community in Chicago's history and the impact of providing free access to high-level baseball and softball instruction.

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What they’re saying

“To have this massive space to have youth to run around and cost free -- it's truly breathtaking.”

— Earnest Horton, CEO, Black Baseball Media (nbcchicago.com)

“It brings community and baseball together. We take away all the cost burdens – because we know baseball and softball is extremely pricey in today's time. So kids age 7 to 14 in Chicago and Chicagoland area they get high level instruction for free.”

— Earnest Horton, CEO, Black Baseball Media (nbcchicago.com)

What’s next

Black Baseball Media plans to continue hosting the free monthly baseball and softball camp at the Pullman Community Center, providing high-level instruction and leadership development opportunities for local youth.

The takeaway

This camp in Chicago is an important initiative to help revitalize Black participation in baseball and softball, by removing financial barriers and connecting the sport to principles of community, perseverance, and leadership. As professional baseball struggles to increase diversity, grassroots programs like this one serve as a critical bridge to get more young Black athletes engaged and interested in the game.