In Nicaragua, one sign said it all... “The Little League of Sabaco Valley Thanks The Oriole Advocates” Inspired by an article written by Baltimore sportswriter, John Eisenberg, Cardboard to LeatherTM was born. After reading of children in underprivileged countries, who with a sheer love of the game, were playing baseball with makeshift equipment such as cardboard gloves, the Oriole Advocates created a program to turn those “cardboard” gloves to “leather.” In 2007, Program Chair, Bob Harden, accompanied the shipment to Nicaragua. There he experienced the joy this program can bring to children. Upon being tossed a brand new baseball, he observed... They were feeling it, rolling it in their hands and they were taking turns smelling it -- you know, that new baseball smell. And that was only one baseball. To think that just a single baseball could have that kind of impact, well, it makes you realize Dedicated to Promoting and just how special the game is to those kids." Stimulating Interest in Baseball You Can Help Us Make TM These Baseball Dreams Come True! For more information about the Oriole Advocates’ Cardboard to LeatherTM program or to contact us regarding donating equipment, e-mail us at [email protected] Advocates or, on the web: www.orioleadvocates.org The Oriole Attn: Cardboard to Leather P.O. Box 2295 Baltimore, Maryland 21203-2295 Cardboard to LeatherTM is a trademark of Oriole Advocates, Inc. A young Orioles fan joins in the spirit Uniforms, bats, of giving on C2LTM day! gloves, helmets, catcher’s equipment, baseballs and more received through ardboard to LeatherTM or C2L TM (as it is donations from little Caffectionately called) is one of the Oriole leagues, schools, Advocates’ major projects where “gently” used recreation and new baseball and softball equipment is From left - Orioles Third Baseman, Melvin Mora, Legg Mason Senior departments, Vice President, Tim Munoz, C2LTM Co-Chairs, Bob Harden and Kevin Joyce collected and sent, to underprivileged youth in individual donations along with the Oriole Bird, join in an on-field check presentation from developing countries including Afghanistan, as well as collections Legg Mason to the Cardboard to LeatherTM program. Aruba, Belgrade, Belize, Cuba, Dominican at Camden Yards and local minor league SPONSORS & PARTNERS Republic, Ghana, Iraq, Nicaragua, and stadiums are accepted throughout the year. Venezuela. In summer 2008, C2L™ welcomed Legg Mason The gear is then packed by the Advocates and as a sponsor. This fine corporation provided the HISTORY shipped to little leagues, schools and C2L™ program with a generous grant that will The Cardboard to LeatherTM program was community groups who conduct baseball and go a long way toward helping inspired by an article written by Baltimore Sun softball programs in the respective countries. ship the donated equipment sportswriter John Eisenberg in 1992. to deserving children. Eisenberg traveled to the Dominican Republic Additionally, Legg Mason has on an unrelated assignment, and while there, Financial donations made to the Oriole collected C2L™ donations observed children playing baseball with Advocates Charitable Foundation help defray from its workforce and Legg makeshift equipment: tree limbs for bats, balls the costs of storage and shipment of the Mason personnel helped the Advocates with of string or tape for balls and cardboard collected equipment. The Advocates hold an their C2L™ collection at Camden Yards in July wrapped with tape for gloves. He subsequently annual raffle along with silent auctions of ‘08, which turned out to be one of the most wrote about what he had observed, and after throughout the year to help raise the funds successful collections ever! reading the article, the Oriole Advocates needed for storage decided to develop a program to get decent and shipment. C2LTM has also developed some important equipment to the children. Additionally, for the partnerships during the last few years. Included last several years, among these are: Since the program’s inception, the Oriole the Oriole TM Advocates have shipped over 50 tons of Advocates’ C2L ? Runners Inc. provides a large storage area at equipment. program has a discounted rate for the large inventory of received support equipment. from Major League ? Freestate Challenge Academy, whose young Baseball’s “Baseball men and women assist each year with Tomorrow” inventorying and packing the equipment for program. Members of the Oriole Advocates and Legg Mason staff man the gates on Cardboard shipment. to LeatherTM collection day at Camden Yards. In 2008, Oriole ? Two local Sandlot baseball and softball Third Baseman, Melvin Mora served as training facilities (one in Glen Burnie and one spokesperson for Cardboard to LeatherTM . The in Forest Hill), hold regular equipment Oriole Advocates in conjunction with the Melvin collections. Mora Foundation, shipped thousands of pieces ? Community College of Baltimore County, of equipment to Venezuela including gloves, Catonsville Campus, which holds collections bats, baseball, softballs, helmets, catcher’s throughout the year and also donates its used masks, uniform jerseys and more! equipment on a yearly basis. 2007’s shipment to Nicaragua brought smiles to the faces of the children who received new uniforms..