Old Dominion Freight Line, the Official Freight Carrier of Major League Baseball, donated more than 12,000 baseballs to Pitch In For Baseball & Softball (PIFBS). The baseballs came out of Old Dominion’s “clear” baseball-filled trailer that traveled around the country in 2017 and 2018, visiting the MLB All-Star Game, MLB stadiums and OD service centers on a marketing and promotional tour.
Founded in 2005, Pitch In For Baseball & Softball helps give boys and girls access to recreation and contributes to positive youth development by providing baseball and softball equipment to children around the world. Over the past 14 years, PIFBS has helped to eliminate equipment as a barrier for more than 900,000 boys and girls in the U.S. and more than 100 countries internationally.
Meredith Kim, COO of Pitch In For Baseball & Softball said, “This donation changed the conversation with potential grantees. These baseballs help us uphold our commitment to provide baseball equipment to various programs and, in turn, reaffirms the programs’ trust in us to provide for their teams. We are extremely appreciative of Old Dominion Freight Line and their generous donation.”
As a result of Old Dominion’s donation, the charity has already given baseballs to numerous clubs and organizations across the country, including The BASE, Philadelphia School Program, Play Ball Pittsburgh, the Milwaukee Brewers RBI and various other MLB RBI teams.
- The BASE, a Boston-based program committed to reimagining pathways to success for kids, combines exceptional baseball and softball training and competition with academic and career resources to empower student-athletes to achieve their full potential on and off the field.
- The Philadelphia School Program, which is part of PIFBS’s School Based Programs, is part of the eighth largest school district in the nation. They were presented with two dozen baseballs each for 47 high school baseball teams, across 38 schools, impacting 750 student-athletes.
- Play Ball Pittsburgh, a partnership between PIFBS, the Pirates, and the Tull Family Foundation, included Old Dominion’s donated baseballs to strengthen their $75,000 worth of equipment donated to more than a dozen leagues.
- Through a partnership with the Brewers in Milwaukee, the Brewers RBI, Felix Mantilla Little League and Beckum Stapleton Little League all received baseballs.
- Other MLB RBI teams received baseballs from Old Dominion’s donation, impacting 195 teams.
“Old Dominion’s baseballs served their purpose for two great years in the clear trailer, kicking off our World Series sweepstakes and offering a fun photo opportunity for baseball fans as well as serving as a symbol of our partnership with Major League Baseball,” said Dick Podiak, vice president of marketing and communication at Old Dominion Freight Line. “We are happy that the baseballs will be put to good use, and go to the young people who need them. This donation to Pitch In for Baseball & Softball can give the baseballs a second life.”
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), union-free motor carrier providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL services through a single integrated organization. Our service offerings, which include expedited transportation, are provided through an expansive network of service centers located throughout the continental United States. Through strategic alliances, the Company also provides LTL services throughout North America. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers a range of value-added services including container drayage, truckload brokerage and supply chain consulting.