Major League Baseball will hold the first ever Jr. RBI Classic Presented by KPMG to take place July 10-12 as part of the philanthropic "Going Beyond" theme for this year's MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis. Participants include a regular season team in the 11-12 age division from each of the 16 pilot cities of the Jr. RBI program presented by KPMG. These teams will travel to St. Louis to participate in a friendly 32-game tournament, which is part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program.

"The Jr. RBI Classic presented by KPMG is a key addition to this year's MLB All-Star Week and we hope it will be a memorable experience for the young players," said Bob DuPuy, President and Chief Operating Officer, Major League Baseball. "Youth participation in baseball and softball is very important to Major League Baseball and we will continue to support programs that provide opportunities to children around the country."

"Competing in such a special tournament during MLB All-Star Week offers the youngsters an opportunity of a lifetime," said John B. Veihmeyer, Chief Executive Officer, KPMG, LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm. "I'm certain the experiences they share as a team and as individuals will go a long way in building their confidence and in helping guide them to perform at the highest levels in school and in life."

The Jr. RBI Program presented by KPMG is a youth development initiative that launched as a pilot program in 2009 to create playing divisions for children ages 6 to 12. A nationwide roll-out is planned for 2010. Like the RBI program, the Jr. RBI Program is designed to increase participation and interest in baseball and softball, encourage academic participation and achievement and teach the value of teamwork to inner-city youngsters.

The Jr. RBI Classic presented by KPMG will feature 16 teams including:

• Oak Park Youth Baseball and Softball League (Sacramento, CA)
• Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
• Jackie Robinson Jersey City RBI (Jersey City, NJ)
• Harlem RBI (New York, NY)
• The Boys & Girls Club of Venice RBI / Urban Youth Academy RBI (Compton, CA)
• Bradenton RBI (Bradenton, FL)
• Chicago White Sox RBI (Chicago, IL)
• Cincinnati Reds Rookie Success League (Cincinnati, OH)
• Jackson RBI (Jackson, MS)
• Nashville RBI, Inc, (Nashville, TN)
• RBI Seattle (Seattle, WA)
• Matthews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club/Redbirds Rookie RBI (St. Louis, MO)
• Cleveland Baseball Federation RBI (Cleveland, OH)
• Dallas RBI (Dallas, TX)
• Detroit Youth Baseball RBI League (Detroit, MI)
• Phillies Rookie League (Philadelphia, PA)

Each team will play four games while in St. Louis. (See Attached Schedule)

In addition to the opening ceremony, teams from the Jr. RBI Classic presented by KPMG will also have the opportunity to participate in and attend MLB All-Star Week events. These events include MLB All-Star FanFest, at which teams will participate in an MLB Legend clinic, the XM All-Star Futures Game, and the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game. After the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, musician Nelly will be available to the Jr. RBI program players for a meet-and-greet. Players will also attend a special viewing of the State Farm Home Run Derby at the St. Louis Science Center where Darryl McDaniels, famously known as "DMC" from the legendary musical group "Run-DMC," will be featured as a guest speaker. DMC will also participate in the tournament as an honorary base coach for some of the games.

The RBI Program presented by KPMG is designed to promote interest in the sport, increase the self-esteem of disadvantaged children, and encourage kids to do well in school. RBI programs are run in more than 200 cities worldwide and annually provide as many as 100,000 boys and girls the opportunity to play baseball and softball. For more information please visit http://www.mlb.com/rbi.

Major League Baseball has responded to United States of America President Barack Obama's call for community service through "United We Serve," a program which encourages all Americans to be part of building a new foundation for America by engaging in sustained and meaningful community service. Major League Baseball will dedicate the 2009 MLB All-Star Summer to raising funds and awareness for charitable initiatives and celebrating the importance of community service. The charity and community service initiatives, which will be themed "Going Beyond," will be the most extensive in Major League Baseball All-Star history and will complement the celebration of history and traditions of baseball and the St. Louis Cardinals.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.