MILWAUKEE — After warming up by walking in Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Parade, the Beckum Stapleton Little League got busy playing a game of baseball at Rose Park.
The Juneteenth All Stars game was a chance to show the community what the kids have learned while playing baseball and softball with Beckum, while also celebrating their past.
“Today is a celebration of Black history,” Matthew Duncan, a player on the Beckum team, said. “It’s important because it makes me realize other people did this so that I’ll be able to do this.”
James Beckum, a former Negro League player, founded the Beckum-Stapleton Little League in 1964. Starting with four teams, the league has grown to 20.
The league is nonprofit, supported by volunteer coaches like Tawyana Duncan.
“There are so many opportunities with baseball for us as a people. Jackie Robinson broke down Barriers. We want to continue to do that,” Duncan said.
According to the league’s website, since they were founded, they have mentored nearly 25,000 kids in the inner city. Their mission is to provide a safe and challenging basketball experience for kids.
“It makes me feel good because I’m doing good things in life. Instead of being out here stealing cars, I’m bringing the community up,” Jayshawn Mays, another player, said.
The Juneteenth game was a celebration, and the coaches said every player was a winner.
Over the summer, the league is gearing up for the International Little League tournament.
“There’s so much we want to do. Create training facilities for our players. We want to make it to the Little League World Series. The only way is through funding and volunteers,” Duncan explained.
As a nonprofit, they work with families who have a difficult time paying for baseball. The league is always looking for donations and support.
To play in Beckum Stapleton Little League, the player must live or attend school in Beckum Stapleton boundaries. Girls and boys ages 4 to 16 are welcome to participate.
For more information, you can visit their website.
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