
Los Angeles, CA: Major League Baseball has one Crown Jewel and that is the All-Star weekend, and that Crown Jewel is in full display here in Los Angeles where the entire city has wrapped itself around everything baseball.

7 yr. old Luca admiring the locker display of Aaron Judge. (Photo: Latino Sports)
I had the opportunity to pick up my seven-year-old grandson Luca and decided to use him as the basis for seeing baseball and the All-Star events from a different perspective. Luca loves baseball. He attended his first game in Yankee stadium when he was six months old. He started watching baseball with his father who is a bleed blue Yankee fan the fact that he grew up two blocks from Yankee stadium and started attending regular games since the age of five had a lot to do with that. Luca started watching more baseball games at the age of three and immediately became a Yankee and an Aaron Judge fan.
I decided to have my grandson accompany me for the day covering for this All-Star Day. I wanted to visit the convention center where each All-Star weekend brings out everything related to baseball. This year it was called the CapitalOne Playball Park and that was not false advertising. It was a Disney World of baseball for youths and adults of all ages, but especially for children. That was a very wise decision as MLB has a lot to do to continue to capture the short attention span of today’s youth who are looking at the other franchise sports like the NFL, NBA, and MLS for entertainment. However, in the middle of all fun and games for the children and youth there were also great displays of baseball history.

Latino Legacy exhibit (Photo: Latino Sports)
The Hall of Fame exhibit gave all visitors a short, but important glimpse to the Cooperstown, NY HOF museum. The exhibit on Women in Baseball, the Negro Leagues and Latinos in baseball were excellent displays that gave all fans a thorough look at baseball history. The many baseball legends that were in attendance and available to sign autographs and take pictures was a treat for all fans. The many vendors that were selling and promoting everything from designing your own sneakers to baseball equipment, baseball art, not to forget that incredible baseball decorations and top-notch videos of today’s players in action throughout makes a trip to this fan friendly convention center a must.
There was no question that my grandson had an incredible time. He was still talking about the experience and everything he did the next day. He participated in just about every, pitch, throw, hit run game and event throughout the entire center. He was in his glory when he almost hit a home run in one of the miniature baseball field events that he got to hit after playing the field. Only one youth had hit one over the wall in the half hour we waited to get to his turn. We saw thirty something kids swinging the bat and only one hit the ball over the wall and that youngster got a special gift. Luka hit the right field wall on the first of the three pitches each child received. He missed a home run by less than a foot. When he exited the field, three LA police officers walked up to him and congratulated him on his hit and told him he was a good hitter. They encouraged him to continue his game, but advised him to change his hat as he was wearing a Yankee cap.

Bad Bunny about to bat. (Photo MLB.com)
After hours of fun, games and learning we walked backed to the Sheraton Hotel where we boarded the media shuttle bus to Dodger Stadium for the Celebrity Softball Game and Becky G concert. The game was between Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Of course, I was rooting for Brooklyn, but my grandson like most of the crowd was rooting for Los Angeles. Though both teams had celebrities, Los Angeles had the internationally acclaimed, Bad Bunny and there was no way to compete with that. However, Brooklyn won, and I got one over my grandson. The concert was good, but if the energy of the seven-year-old was not yet fizzling, that of a senior grandfather was and we left after the second song.
When I asked Luca for his comments today on what he had experienced he said it was great and that he loved all the games, especially almost hitting a homerun. He loved that he got to see Bad Bunny play softball even though his team lost. I know that he has a greater love for the game of baseball because of what he experienced yesterday. Though I know he will be exposed to many other sports during his development, I believe that he will never abandon baseball.
My kudos to MLB for the great venues that they have organized for everyone, but especially for the younger generation which is the future of baseball in this country.
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