Skip to main content

Batting Clinic is a Home Run for Local Children

August 29, 2018 | Community

Clinic participants pose for photos in front of the Green Monster.
Clinic participants pose for photos in front of the Green Monster.
Red Sox Batting Coaches Tim Hyers and Andy Barkett ran this year’s clinics.
Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster also made an appearance at this year’s clinics.

Stepping up to bat in iconic Fenway Park would be a dream come true for any Boston Red Sox fan. For nearly two-hundred children that dream became a reality this summer at CVS Health Batting Clinic.

For 14 seasons, CVS Health, in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, has held camps throughout the summer that bring youth baseball teams from across New England to Fenway for a full day of events, including batting practice with team coaches. The program reflects CVS Health’s commitment to supporting children of all abilities as well as healthy initiatives for our community.

This summer, 180 children, who all play in either the Little League Challenger Division® or Miracle League, attended nine separate clinics. Each group worked one-on-one with Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach Tim Hyers and Assistant Hitting Coach Andy Barkett before taking to the field for batting practice, followed by photos in front of the Green Monster and lunch in the Red Sox dugout.

The day’s activities also included a visit from Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster, a VIP tour of Fenway Park, early entry to the Red Sox batting practice and tickets to that evening’s game in the CVS Pharmacy Family section.

The Little League Challenger Division® was founded in 1989, and is Little League’s adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. Any individual with a physical or intellectual challenge may participate. The division accommodates players ages 4 to 18; or up to age 22 if still enrolled in school.

The Miracle League of Massachusetts is an all volunteer, non-profit organization that gives children with disabilities a chance to play baseball as part of a team in an organized league at no cost to their family.