The BUBA staff worked relentlessly to ensure the atmosphere was comfortable for the guests, their efforts were apparent through the guests experience. Given the timing of the event, it was very cold outside, contrasting the cold was a warm greeting from the boys of BUBA. They stood at the door greeting guests and guiding them to the entrance.

The main area was opened and served as the guest area, creating a bright, social atmosphere for the cocktail hour prior to the event. Upon entrance, the guests were met with stations of food including but not limited to, crab cakes, fried catfish, and salads. The food was paired with an open bar serving a wide range of beverages. Everyone was excited for the event to start and quickly began to socialize with those around them. While formal, the event fostered a fun and lively environment for the guests. 

A HitTrax is a baseball and softball batting simulator that collects data on the swing and highlights areas of improvement for the player. Alongside being informative the device is also fun! The HitTrax tunnel was used as both a means of activity as well as a method of introducing the guest of honor, Adam Jones.

In the HitTrax , the participant hits off of a tee and the speed and angle of the ball is used to determine how far the ball would go in a real field. Adam Jones, Mayor Brandon Scott, Tim Kutcher, representative of Baseball 4 Causes, and Matt Swope, head baseball coach at University of Maryland College Park all hit in the tunnel. Mayor Brandon Scott was exceptionally proud of himself for hitting the ball further than Adam Jones. Some of the BUBA scholars also had the opportunity to hit in the tunnel and illustrate its role as a practice aid. Overall the demonstration was not only fun, but a great display of sportsmanship and the value of the HitTrax machines at BUBA. 

The program began with an informative talk from Adam Jones. In his talk he discussed his life and career and how he navigates the two. The talk itself was powerful but it was made more educational by a question and answer between Adam Jones and some of the BUBA scholars. Through this experience the BUBA scholars were able to display their exemplary sports journalism skills and learn from a player they admire. Adam Jones' talk was followed by a talk from Mayor Brandon Scott which was equally impactful. 

Representative from the Tony Gwynn East Legacy Foundation and daughter of Tony Gwynn, Anisha Nicole Gwynn also spoke during the program. She said many inspiring things regarding the Tony Gwynn East Legacy Foundation and how its mission includes supporting organizations like BUBA. The talks were a large part of the evening and they didn't disappoint. They were all inspiring, educational, and engaging in their own way. 

The live auction took place after the talks. Items being auctioned included trips to ball fields across the country and two remarkable paintings, one of Adam Jones and his infamous catch and the other of Tony Gwynn. The auction was successful, and the items were auctioned off by the end of the night.

After the auction, the emcee collected many donations from guests at the event. The donations ranged from $100 up to $10,000, the experience as a whole raised a significant amount of money. All the proceeds will be fed back into BUBA to further aid in the development of Baltimore's children through youth baseball and softball programs, facility scholarships, and life-changing experiences.

The night concluded with a performance from a live band paired with food, drinks, and dessert. 

Baseball 4 Causes (B4C) is the baseball philanthropy division of Technology 4 Causes, a non-profit organization dedicated to making a positive impact through technology and support services. 

Our mission is to create a positive impact in the baseball community and the wider local community by fostering fellowship through the playing of baseball, enhancing educational activities and event experiences through our technology platform, and engaging in initiatives that support worthwhile causes that give back to the community.

The Baltimore Urban Baseball Association (BUBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose vision is to transform Baltimore's urban communities into thriving, baseball-rich neighborhoods where youth actively engage in positive programming and the sport serves as a unifying force for social cohesion and collective empowerment.

Click the button below to read more about BUBA and their impact on youth, written by one of the students in our mentoring program.

The Diamond Collective is a collaborative facility that brings together multiple nonprofit organizations with a shared mission of using baseball as a platform to support the holistic development of young individuals.

To learn more about The Diamond Collective and our collaboration with them, click the button on this card!