Iknowa's Wednesday Night Read on MLB:
06/06/2007 1:20 PM ET
New commercials promote MLB values
TV spots latest effort with Boys & Girls Clubs of America
By Lauren Kobylarz / MLB.com
In between innings on Wednesday night, television viewers across the country will watch David Wright of the Mets and Ryan Howard of the Phillies play for same team.
Working for a shared cause, Wright and Howard will be featured on TV spots partnering Major League Baseball with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America during game breaks when the Mets and the Phillies begin the second game of their series at 7:10 ET.
Now in its 11th year as a BGCA partner, MLB has produced the spots showcasing Wright and Howard as role models reinforcing core values of the BGCA. Wright highlights teamwork, and Howard focuses on perseverance.
"I was pretty fortunate that I had positive role models," Wright said. "I know some of these kids don't have those kind of positive role models, so hopefully we can step in and be those for them."
During the 30-second clips, each player interacts with a BGCA member, playfully bantering with each child. Wright and a young girl named Harris talk about the importance of being team players and share a handshake. Howard teaches his counterpart, a boy named Gillespie, about waiting for the right pitch and gives him pointers on his swing.
"We had a lot of fun out there," Howard said. "Most of it was just acting natural, but it's a lot of fun because it helps pave the way and helps the futures of young kids."
Howard and Wright are not new to involvement with the BGCA. While he was in college, Howard was a basketball referee at his local Club, and Wright has been interested in BGCA since his start in the Minor Leagues.
The spots are the first two of five that will be introduced over the course of the season, including one that will be broadcast in Spanish. Karl Ravech of ESPN is featured as the voice-over. With their debut on Wednesday night, the spots will run in MLB media on ESPN, FOX, and TBS as well as MLB.com and at the Club level.
Last year, MLB produced three spots with BGCA with Alex Rodriguez, Jermaine Dye and David Ortiz. Ortiz's spot was shot in both English and Spanish.
"Everybody in the Major Leagues, and athletes across America, we've been put in that position to where kids look up to you," Howard said. "If you can help save a kid or help change a kid's life in some way by either signing an autograph or being positive, that's a great feeling."
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