masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOn a rare off-day, the Orioles still came together to participate in the second annual Manny Machado BaseBOWL Tournament on May 19. Machado’s teammates attended the sold-out event at Mustang Alleys Bar, Bowling and Bistro in Baltimore to showcase their bowling skills alongside Orioles fans to help raise money and awareness for Baltimore City’s Department of Recreation and Parks.
“They’re going to be able to bowl, interact with the players,” Machado said. “There’s going to be some auction…

On a rare off-day, the Orioles still came together to participate in the second annual Manny Machado BaseBOWL Tournament on May 19. Machado’s teammates attended the sold-out event at Mustang Alleys Bar, Bowling and Bistro in Baltimore to showcase their bowling skills alongside Orioles fans to help raise money and awareness for Baltimore City’s Department of Recreation and Parks.

“They’re going to be able to bowl, interact with the players,” Machado said. “There’s going to be some auction items being auctiioned off. There’s going to be food, drinks, which is the best part. A lot of excitement going on. Go out there, bowl a little bit and see who’s the best.”

The event paired participants with past and present Orioles players and coaches in friendly games of bowling. Fans were able to bowl strikes (and maybe a gutterball or two) alongside Chris Davis, Cal Ripken Jr., Travis Snider, Ubaldo Jimenez, J.J. Hardy, Brady Anderson and many others. Even former Oriole Nelson Cruz, whose team is in town to face the O’s at Camden Yards, stopped by the event.

JJ Hardy basebowl.png“The city belongs to us, this is home,” Machado said. “This is our second home for us. … To come out here and show how good this city is and how much people support us and how much we support them, it means a lot. We’re just trying to get out there and just help the community out as much as possible in any way we can.”

Before the event kicked off, pitcher Brad Brach talked about how youth baseball programs helped him reach this point in his career, saying, “I know if I didn’t have (recreation programs), I probably wouldn’t be here today.”

“It’s awesome, especially since it’s going toward such a great cause. … I was glad to give up an off-day, get to bowl, too, so that’s always fun,” Brach added. “It’s not a bad way to spend a day off.”

To support Machado’s charity event, the Orioles contributed a $10,000 donation to Baltimore Recreation and Parks. In addition, the team will host participating youth at an upcoming home game through the OriolesREACH Gameday Experience Program. Participants will receive game tickets, concessions, an O’s T-shirt and cap, and transportation.

The initiative helps supply baseball equipment, uniforms, transportation and field refurbishment to play baseball at Baltimore City Recreation and Parks centers.

Machado grew up attending Marlins camps and youth baseball initiatives, and reflected on the importance of the programs.

“It was always hard to get transportation to go to places with my mom working and my family situation,” he said. “It’s great to finally give back and help the kids that need the help. … Kind of encourage people to go back out there, play more baseball, play more sports, be active outside, and not be at home playing video games. Go out there, give them a glove, give them a ball, some cleats … help them enjoy themselves.”

To see all the BaseBOWL action for yourself, check out the video below.