For 95 years, Black history month has been the month to celebrate every facet of African American history. During Jim Crow, one of the main entities that were segregated was the game of sports. To honor Black History Month and salute African American Negro League sports heroes, the Jumbo Shrimp minor league team has scheduled the second annual Raines-Ribault Heritage Baseball Classic to be held at the ballpark for a game of batting and fielding rivalry. In an effort to ensure that young men understand the impact of the history of desegregating sports, Councilman and Community Rehabilitation Center CEO Reggie Gaffney and board chair Dwight Brisbane, visited with Ribault High School 1000 Role Models and the boy’s Baseball team for an inspirational mentoring moment and to award the school an additional 25 tickets to the classic. Gaffney a Ribault high graduate of 1977 remarked, “These young men remind me of myself, as a Ribault alum. I walked these halls, I played baseball. I learned from these passionate educators. I want them to know we care, we see them, and we support them,” said Gaffney. Brisbane, also a 1992, Ribault alum, explained the meeting won’t be the last. “As the chair of the CRC board, I’m committed to us investing in our youth in a positive, proactive manner. There are so many young people out here, doing the right things. We need to celebrate them.” Also on campus, were Jumbo shrimp representatives with the winning trophy to motivate Ribaults baseball team to bring home the winning trophy. Last years the Raines Vikings won the game 8-4. The game will be held on Tuesday, February 23rd under the lights at the Jumbo Shrimp Stadium.
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