The Richmond-based Metropolitan Junior Baseball League's Inner City Classic is returning to Richmond next summer.
Teams in several age categories from throughout the U.S., and likely some from other countries, will compete at area fields and The Diamond for national championships.
The Inner City Classic is tentatively scheduled to run from July 31 to Aug. 5. About 70 teams are likely to participate. Jack Berry, president and CEO of the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, said at Thursday's announcement at The Diamond he couldn't estimate the economic impact to the Richmond area until the number of participating teams is finalized.
Mayor Dwight C. Jones said the tournament was held in Orlando, Fla., last season and the estimated economic impact there was $2.1 million.
According to William Forrester, Jr., executive director of the MJBL, the league was started in 1966 as a way to provide opportunities for African-Americans to compete in youth baseball. The MJBL is open to all youth, not just African-Americans, and now is associated with youth baseball organizations in various U.S. cities.
"We're excited about the fact that 1,500 talented inner-city youth will have the opportunity to be a part of this tournament," Jones said. "Ages 6 to 19, what a wonderful age to engage young people who otherwise might be involved in other kinds of activity."
The MJBL launched the Inner City Classic in 1991 so youth from U.S. cities could travel to a national tournament. That tournament eventually moved from Richmond.
Other cities were interested in hosting the 2012 Inner City Classic, according to Forrester. He named Greensboro, N.C., Columbia, S.C., Orlando, Fla., and St. Petersburg, Fla.
Richmond was chosen "because I wanted it back here," Forrester said.
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