Yankees Aim to Score Holiday Homerun with At-Risk Kids

An estimated 5,400 at-risk children from all over Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are invited to celebrate the holidays Yankees style.

That means they’ll be treated to a morning on the town, complete with entertainment courtesy of the Florida Orchestra and Ballet Theater International.

While rumor has it Santa is making special appearances at all three venues playing host to the 26th annual New York Yankees/Steinbrenner Family Children’s Holiday Concert series, he might have to take a backseat for a few ball players.

Yankees pitchers Bryan Mitchell and Adam Warren, and catcher Brian McCann have all signed up to recite “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to youngsters in attendance.

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The holiday concert is taking place at three venues to this year to ensure plenty of kids get to enjoy the season. The first concert takes place Dec. 2 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts Ferguson Hall. The other two are set for Dec. 17 at Ruth Eckerd Hall and Dec. 18 at the Mahaffey Theater.

Members of the Steinbrenner family, the Yankees, the Hillsborough and Pinellas sheriff’s offices, the Tampa Police and Fire Departments and concert cast will serve as Santa’s elves, handing out presents to the third- to fifth-graders in attendance.

The concert is a closed event, but it’s free to the thousands of children invited to attend.

The tradition was kicked off by George Steinbrenner nearly 30 years ago to “bring holiday cheer for at-risk and underprivileged children” on both sides of the Bay, a media release stated. “The event gives them the opportunity to visit a Broadway style theater, watch a classical concert, holiday dancers and performers.”

Photo Credit: The New York Yankees are hoping to score a homerun with underprivileged kids from around the Bay/Patch File Photo