Massachusetts towns from Spencer to Swampscott and from Boston to Brookfield have become participants in the Lowell Spinners' quest to eliminate heartbreak and taunting from youth baseball programs playing in the shadows of Fenway Park.
Even a squad or two from Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and yes, Rochester, NY have been spared the wide spread humiliation that accompanies being subjected to Yankee Pin Stripes while living in the heart of Red Sox Nation.
In the spirit of the many unique and ingenious promotions that are such a part of minor league baseball and as a testament to the greatest rivalry in the sport, The Lowell Spinners, Class A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, are happy to announce that the Yankees Elimination Promotion (Y.E.P) is celebrating its fifth year of eliminating New York Yankees teams from youth baseball programs throughout New England.
Originally developed as a response to the heartbreak and ridicule which children of New England assigned to Yankees youth baseball and softball teams face, the Y.E.P. has eliminated over 150 Yankees teams since 2006, replacing them with Spinners teams.
As part of the 2010 promotion the Spinners are hoping to stamp out new programs as they continue the removal of the Yankees following their 2009 World Series title. The Yankees Elimination Promotion will be limited to 75 teams on a first come, first served basis.
As part of the promotion, the Spinners will replace the league’s Yankees hats with Spinners hats and provide a $200 donation toward the cost of uniforms. Through Y.E.P., the Spinners have donated over $70,000 into the youth baseball and softball community.
“The Yankees Elimination Promotion was originally built as a fun promotion in response to parent’s stories of children losing interest in the game after facing taunts simply for playing in a Yankees uniform,” said Spinners Vice President and General Manager Tim Bawmann.
“Five years later teams are still eliminating the Yankees and the joy on the faces of the newly minted Spinners players on the field at LeLacheur Park reminds us why we love this game.”
Not only will the youth Spinners teams receive a uniform makeover, but they will also be invited to play on the field at LeLacheur Park prior to a Spinners 2010 game. Additionally, the Spinners will work with each youth baseball organization to assist them in their fund-raising initiatives.
“The Yankees may be the defending World Series Champions, but the Red Sox have proven they are built for the long run, in no small part to their determination to their young prospects,” said Bawmann. “When Jonathan Papelbon started his career with the Spinners in 2003, he told us his first Little League team was the Red Sox. We want the next Pap to start his career as a Spinner!”
For more information on participating in the Y.E.P. promotion, please contact Jon Goode at 978-805-5106 or via email at jgoode@lowellspinners.com .
Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He also shares his top stories on his blog The 'xoxo' of Sports. He is a supporter of Team Hoyt, the father/son marathon and triathlon team of Dick and Rick Hoyt. He encourages you to support their movement of "Yes, I Can" by visiting their Web site at www.teamhoyt.com
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