May 9, 2024
Many current and former Washington Nationals players have poured their hearts and souls into the community that supports their team, and leading the way this week is starting pitcher Josiah Gray. Since his arrival in Washington, D.C., in 2021, Gray has been adamant in his conviction to help his community, particularly the young baseball and softball players of D.C.
“I was fortunate enough to have a coach who provided an opportunity for me and my brother to play,” said Gray. “He footed the bill most of the time for us to be able to play that next level of baseball. So, for me, it has always come down to if I was ever to succeed or excel at this game, I wanted to be able to give that to the next generation.”
Gray did just that during the Nationals’ most recent homestand. His first stop was Sunday, May 5, when he took the time to meet with kids from the Josh Gibson Foundation at Nationals Park.
Often called “the Black Babe Ruth,” Josh Gibson is considered one of the greatest home run hitters and most feared sluggers of any era. Gibson played in the Negro Leagues, including two stints with the Homestead Grays here in D.C. Gibson is honored at Nationals Park with a spot in the Ring of Honor and has a statue outside the Home Plate Gates commemorating his impact. The children’s book Just Like Josh Gibson is a favorite during the team’s summer reading series, Story Time at Nationals Park.
Continuing the slugger’s impressive legacy, the Josh Gibson Foundation develops programming that help young people reach their full potential, providing tutoring, mentoring, nutrition and educational programs for at-risk youth — similar in mission to the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, to which Gray serves as the official Player Ambassador.
…
Gray’s contributions to the community continued the following day when he used a team off-day to visit the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, a nine-acre campus in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 7, that provides holistic educational and athletic programming to children living in one of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods.
Gray has built close ties and a strong attachment to the Youth Baseball Academy and its mission throughout his time in D.C Since arriving in the middle of the 2021 season, Gray has been active in the club’s community projects and was officially named the Player Ambassador to the Academy during the 2022 season. In this role, he acts as a link between the clubhouse and the Academy, serving as a resource to the school-aged children who participate in its programming. He follows the time-honored tradition of former Nationals Player Ambassadors Josh Bell, Anthony Rendon and Ian Desmond, who first envisioned the role when the Academy opened its doors in 2014.
Read the full story here.