Feeds:
Posts
Comments

rbi_scholarship_240x90

Meridian High School graduate Kendrick Walk is one of 16 RBI players from around the country to win the 2013 RBI for RBI college scholarship, announced by Major League Baseball today. Walk will receive $20,000 (5k per year) to apply towards his tuition at Jackson State University where he will play baseball. SIGNING VIDEO

Kendrick Walk

Kendrick Walk (seen here in the 2012 RBI Regional in Arlington, TX) has played in the Mississippi RBI summer league for three years. (Photo by Ed Gardner)

Walk and his family will travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to attend a banquet in his honor.  He will also be recognized on the field at Target Field during the RBI World Series in July along with the 15 other scholarship winners.

“We are very grateful to Major League Baseball for this scholarship,” said Brenda Phillips, Walk’s mother, who recently earned her DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). “We thank Brian Emory for believing in Kendrick and for recommending him for this scholarship.  It will be a great help for him to continue his education at Jackson State University.”

Phillips added, “Kendrick would most likely not be playing at JSU without this extra scholarship money.”

Walk led his team with a .462 batting average as well as a 3.15 earned run average on the mound earning a spot on the 2013 D.M. Howie Mississippi High School All-Star Baseball 6A/5A/4A South team. The game was played June 1st in Jackson.

“This scholarship from MLB really helped my dream of playing college baseball come true,” said Walk.  ”When I first started RBI several years ago I would have never thought that it would lead to a scholarship. Even though I didn’t know about the scholarship back then God had it written down in His plan for my life. I believe my purpose for life is not only to spread the good news of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, but to help change lives through baseball.”

Kendrick Walk signing with Jackson State as family looks on.

Kendrick Walk signing with Jackson State as his family looks on. (Photo submitted)

Major League Baseball Charities, Inc. recognizes the importance of encouraging academic excellence in addition to athletic skills.

That’s why, in 2007, Major League Baseball Charities, Inc. established the “RBI (Runs Batted In) for RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Scholarship Fund”, to help provide financial assistance to youth who participate in the RBI program and wish to pursue post secondary education.

Walk has been playing summer league in Mississippi RBI since the age of 15 despite the fact that he lives 90 minutes from Jackson, where typically the games are played each Saturday in June and July.

An honor roll student and active volunteer in his community, Walk submitted an essay and other paperwork to be considered for this scholarship.

“I submitted a letter of recommendation to go along with Kendrick’s application and I felt he had a really good chance despite the large national pool of applicants,” said RBI coach Brian Emory. “He has always been an impressive and versatile player and as well as a high character individual. He will flourish in college on and off the field and he is going to a championship program right here in Jackson.”

Choctaw Trails in Clinton, MS will host the RUN FOR RBI Saturday, May 18th at 8am.  You can sponsor a RBI player to run or join us yourself.  All proceeds will be applied to the RBI summer league (umpire pay, uniforms, etc,) which consists of nearly 100 players from all over the state of Mississippi.

**** EARLY SIGNUP FORM****

You can prepay here through Paypal and enter a custom amount for multiple runners. You may also send a check written to “MS RBI” to 1007 Normandy Drive; Clinton, MS 39056.

Run for RBI Flyer

RBI players (foreground) joined the runners in the most recent Run for RBI.

RBI players (foreground) joined the runners in the most recent Run for RBI.

rbi_scholarship_240x90

Apply for the 2013 RBI for RBI scholarship now.  Terry HS grad Marcus Brumfield won this scholarship in 2011 and applied it towards Tougaloo College.  $5,000 per year for up to four years is a major scholarship!

Take a look at 200-plus photos from the 3rd annual Scout Day Showcase by clicking here

jacksonstatejpgThe 3rd annual Mississippi RBI Scout Day Showcase is set for Saturday, Jan 26th at Jackson State University.  Sign-in begins at 9am and the baseball activities start at 10am.  The event is FREE.

This event was held at JSU in January 2012.  25 scouts, cross checkers and college coaches were in attendance.  MS RBI, an affiliate of Major League Baseball’s inner city initiative, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program, is based out of Jackson, MS.

For a few photos of the event last year please click here 

$194,450 and going up!

This number is a combined total of 31 RBI baseball players that have signed scholarships with colleges or universities since we began in December 2009.

For example, this number includes the 4-year total that Marcus Brumfield will receive from Tougaloo College even though he is just a sophomore right now. (Nov 2012)  He will receive $20,000+ in scholarship money over those four years.

College baseball teams are given 11.7 scholarships to divide among their 25+ players and the junior colleges can only help with tuition and fees. There are no full scholarships in college baseball.

Also, this number does not include 38 other RBI summer league players that enrolled in college as students only.  Some of those 38 players chose football or basketball over baseball.

Almost $200,000 so far is incredible!  Glory is His!!

We’ve updated the “College Signees” page to reflect Marcus Mangum’s signing with Mississippi Valley State University.

Check out some photos of four former RBI payers that are playing for Hinds Community College in Raymond, MS.

More info to come soon, but 100+ photos from Major League Baseball’s RBI Regional Tournament hosted by Arlington RBI have been posted on Mississippi RBI’s Facebook group page.  The Jackson RBI Warriors entered the championship game 3-0-1 before losing 2-1 to Houston RBI.

Moments before the RBI Regional Championship game against Houston RBI (Photo by Ed Gardner)

The Warriors beat new RBI program Dallas RBI 19-0 in the first game of the tournament. Righty Kyle Russell picked up the win.  CF Clyde Kendrick collected nine RBIs in the game.  Marcus Mangum came on in relief of Russell.

Like last year, Mississippi RBI was the only team in the tournament to hit a homerun. The Warriors hit six HR’s in 2011 and eight in 2012. Clyde Kendrick hit three in the opener and Tommie Brown hit two against Dallas.  Other Warriors to homer were Brian Mills, Sam Campbell and Kedryn Wright better known as “Peter Rabbit.”

In the 11:30am game Friday, the Warriors came from behind against Arlington RBI in the final inning.  A leadoff solo shot from Kedryn Wright (Peter Rabbit) was followed up by LaDerik Williams’ triple. With the top of the order coming up the Warriors were able to get it done and won 7-6.

The Warriors tied rival Houston RBI, 6-6, in the 8:30 game Saturday morning at Lamar HS.  Starter Nick Brooks went six innings and closer Franklin Hayes pitched the seventh.  Due to a time limit the game ended in a tie.  The Astros tied the game on a passed ball in the 7th inning.

The Warriors went back to Randol Mill ballpark for the fourth game, a must-win game, of the tournament and defeated Austin RBI 15-2.  Starter Clyde Kendrick cruised to the win and several Warriors had multiple RBIs in the championship-berth-clinching game.

Saturday night Arlington RBI hosted a skills competition at Randol Mill Ballpark.  Sam Campbell won the Homerun Derby (8 HR’s in 20 swings) and Brian Mills won the speed competition (2nd to home).

 Click here to look at all the photos by Ed Gardner!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

%d bloggers like this: