Pittsburgh RBI program embraces being part of Freeport International Baseball Invitational

The Freeport International Baseball Invitational hits the sweet spot in the youth summer schedule: near the end.

For most teams, the five-day invitational marks the final days of the season. When Pittsburgh Pirates RBI 18-under coach Nelson Cooper IV learned an invitational was being played just 40 minutes north of the city, the decision to enter was simple.

“I was just looking for games to keep them playing on the field,” Cooper said. “We have a 20-game schedule, and we were looking for other opportunities and I ran across it on the internet. Our softball coach, John Wilson, is connected to someone out here, and I immediately called Chuck (Sarver).”

Pittsburgh Pirates RBI, along with 16 other teams, including four Japanese players and one Australian, will take over Alle-Kiski Valley baseball fields as the Freeport International Baseball Invitational celebrates its silver anniversary.

“It’ll be two weeks ago (today) when (Nelson) called and talked to me,” FIBI president Chuck Sarver said. “His story from the city schools is like the story of Tony Majors from Brooklyn, and his story reminded me of that. It’s great to have a connection to someone in the city. We’ve been trying for years.”

Pittsburgh Pirates RBI is part of MLB’s Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities, a nationwide program dedicated to providing baseball opportunities for urban kids. The Pittsburgh chapter is sponsored by the Pirates, with equipment being donated by Pirates Charities.

Founded in 1994 as part of MLB’s international RBI initiative, Pittsburgh RBI gives more than 1,000 boys and girls ages 6-18 the opportunity to play baseball and softball. Pittsburgh RBI plays out of the Shadyside Boys and Girls Club Community Baseball Center. The program as a whole was founded in 1989.

RBI has more than 200,000 participants in programs across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South America. RBI alumni who have reached the big leagues include CC Sabathia, Jimmy Rollins, Coco Crisp and brothers BJ and Justin Upton.

Cooper knows all about the RBI program. He is a product of it. A native of Seattle, Cooper went through the RBI program and wound up earning a scholarship to Division I N.C. Central. Cooper was named to the All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference academic team while playing for the Eagles.

“(N.C. Central) is the oldest historic public black college in the country,” said Cooper, who works for PNC Bank in Pittsburgh. “Our goal is that every kid that wants to play baseball can play baseball.”

The Pittsburgh RBI program is strong. The under-18 and under-15 all-star teams returned from Durham, N.C., last weekend after playing in a RBI regional tournament. Both teams reached their perspective championship games but lost.

Pittsburgh RBI includes players from City League schools Allderdice, Brashear and Obama Academy plus players from Plum, West Allegheny, Fox Chapel and Penn Hills.

“It’s been a lot fun,” said 2019 Fox Chapel grad and Point Park recruit Matt Jerpe, who is in his third season with RBI. “I’ve learned a lot about different communities by doing community work with them. It’s been really enjoyable. I think it helps prepare me well (for college) to see how other kids grew up.”

The Pittsburgh RBI and FIBI missions are nearly the same: bringing kids together for the love of the game no matter what their background is.

“This is the type of mission that we try to have, which is building bridges across many types of kids,” Cooper said. “We try to have a team that is diverse and representative of the city of Pittsburgh.”

Pittsburgh RBI will open up play at 8 p.m. Wednesday against the Tri-con Roos at Freeport’s Swartz Field.