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Big leaguers join Day of Play in Brooklyn
- Updated: September 18, 2016
NEW YORK — In the middle of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on Saturday, Edgardo Alfonzo, Mickey Rivers and Andre Rienzo picked up Wiffle balls and started to pitch.
The park was hosting Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, and the three Major Leaguers were helping man MLB’s “Play Ball” booth, which featured a large inflatable pitching tunnel and scaled-down imitation stadium for batting practice.
Hundreds of kids showed up for the event, meant to encourage them to stay active and play. At the Play Ball station — part of Major League Baseball’s initiative to get all age groups, but especially youth, to participate in baseball activities of all kinds — they got to pitch, hit and meet-and-greet with the big leaguers.
Alfonzo, who played eight seasons with the Mets and currently serves as the bench coach for their Class A Short-Season affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones, said he was fully behind the Worldwide Day of Play and Play Ball campaigns.
“I’m so happy — the whole purpose of it, kids getting exercise outside, is great,” Alfonzo said. “You …
