SAM BAT Gives Back!

On May 18, 2010, the owners of SAM BAT made their way into the auditorium of Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical Education High School, to announce the donation of 250 baseball bats. The bats, valued at $30,000 will be given to various teams across the New York City Public School System. The donation was done in support of Good Sports’ 10,000 Swings initiative, a campaign to put 10,000 bats into the hands of the kids that need it most.   Along with announcing the donation, Sam Holman the founder of SAM BAT, talked to the students of the school’s baseball team. Once the first question was asked the players hands were continuously raised, asking questions ranging from which bat was right for them and how bats were made, to how to start up their own company.   In 2008 in order to reduce the number of injuries the use of metal bats were banned. Replacing the metal bats, placed a financial burden on the teams and this is where SAM BAT has stepped in, “We’re always looking for ways to make a difference in the community and we’re thrilled Good Sports brought this situation to our attention,” explained Arlene Anderson, President of SAM BAT. “We know these bats are going to make playing baseball more affordable for kids in New York City.” _______________________________________________________________________ Press Release Contact Melissa Harper, Chief Executive Officer, Good Sports T: 617-282-6125, ext. 131 E: mharper@goodsports.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Public Schools Athletic League Receives Donation from SAM BAT Valued at $30,000 May 20, 2010 (BRONX, NY) – In a donation ceremony held at the Alfred E. Smith Career and Technical Education High School Tuesday afternoon, the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) received a donation of 250 maple bats from SAM BAT, the original maple bat corporation, in addition to catcher’s leg guards and chest protectors provided by Frank’s Sport Shop in the Bronx. Coordinated by Good Sports, a non-profit organization that provides sports equipment to community organizations serving disadvantaged youth, the donation is expected to impact more than 80 baseball teams and 1,300 youth across the city. In an effort to reduce the risk of player injury, PSAL banned the use of metal bats starting in 2008, informing all schools that they must use wood or composite bats. Each school was provided three composite bats to help ease the financial burden of replacing the metal ones; however, teams typically have more than three bats and composite is still susceptible to breaking. That’s exactly why SAM BAT decided to step in. “We’re always looking for ways to make a difference in the community and we’re thrilled Good Sports brought this situation to our attention,” explained Arlene Anderson, President of SAM BAT. “We know these bats are going to make playing baseball more affordable for kids in New York City.” The baseball teams at the Alfred E. Smith High School got a rare treat when Sam Holman, founder of SAM BAT, answered all of the questions the players had, ranging from the creation of the bats to finding the best personal fit. One player even discussed making bats in the school’s wood shop and threw out of the idea of starting his own business. The kids, still new to using wood bats, soaked up all of the information they could to help improve their game. Holman also discussed the specifications Barry Bonds used to request and how Andre Ethier, outfielder for the Dodgers, used the same bat in batting practice for six years while Alfonso Soriano would request 120 at a time because he broke so many. It was an insight into bats that few playing baseball ever receive. Despite the ceremony taking place Alfred E. Smith High School, the bats will be distributed to teams throughout New York City. “We are going to make sure these bats get into the hands of the schools that really need the help,” said Robert Pertsas, Baseball Commissioner at PSAL. “The impact across the city is going to be tremendous.” This donation by SAM BAT is in support of Good Sports’ 10,000 Swings initiative, a campaign to put 10,000 bats into the hands of the kids that need it most. SAM BAT has pledged 500 bats to the campaign and the donation to PSAL follows a contribution made to the Milwaukee R.B.I. League last summer. For more information on how to support this initiative, visit http://www.goodsports.org/. ____________________________________________________________________ About SAM BAT SAM BAT - The Original Maple Bat Corporation. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, founder, Sam Holman, was the first to use maple to create a major league sanctioned bat in 1997. Our mission is to craft the highest quality wood baseball bats available anywhere.  Our wood bats are treated with care and undergo heavy scrutiny for any flaws at each and every stage of production, from the cutting of the logs to the drying in our kilns. The result is a superb instrument that transfers more of your power to the ball. SAM BATs also boast a larger “sweet spot” for hitting. Major League Sanctioned and Little League® Approved. Loved by MLB players and Pros around the world. www.sambat.com About Good Sports Good Sports makes playing sports a reality for thousands of youth. Its mission is to increase the participation of disadvantaged youth in sports, fitness and recreational activities by overcoming a key barrier – the high cost. Good Sports strives to overcome this barrier by matching donations from manufacturers and retailers to the needs of the community organizations serving these children. Those efforts are making an impact – last year alone Good Sports provided more than $1.2 million worth of equipment to more than 50,000 children. The benefits of youth sports participation are well-documented. Children who participate in sports are less likely to use drugs, drop out of school, commit crimes and become teen parents. Equipment grants from Good Sports have allowed community organizations to: improve program quality (99%), decrease cost for families (77%), expand programs (70%) and start new programs (67%). Organizations interested in receiving an equipment grant can find eligibility information at www.goodsports.org.