Cardboard to Leather ^™

One of the important projects the Oriole Advocates have undertaken is the Cardboard to Leather^™ program (affectionately called C2L^™), whereby good, used baseball equipment is provided to underprivileged youth in developing countries, including the Dominican Republic, Belize, Cuba, and Nicaragua. 

The Cardboard to Leather^™ program was inspired by an article by Baltimore Sun sportswriter John Eisenberg that appeared in The Baltimore Sun in 1992.  Eisenberg traveled to the Dominican Republic on an unrelated assignment. While there, he observed kids playing baseball with makeshift equipment: tree limbs for bats, and cardboard wrapped with tape for gloves. He decided to write about what he saw. After reading Eisenberg's article, the Oriole Advocates decided to do something to get decent equipment to the kids.

Since the program started, the Oriole Advocates have distributed over 40 tons of equipment. Little Leagues, local recreation departments, individual baseball fans, and various other groups donate equipment throughout the year, in addition to the collections held at Camden Yards and other baseball stadiums.  The gear is distributed, based on the greatest need, to schools, orphanages, community groups, and hospitals. The material is owned by the group, not distributed to individuals; that way, the equipment can be shared, and more kids get an opportunity to use it.

Currently, Runners, Inc. helps with storage space for donated equipment, and cash donations pay for shipping costs. The Peace Corps and/or local organizations help with the distribution of equipment and provide the Oriole Advocates with an accounting of each distribution.

The July 14, 2007 C2L^™ collection at Camden Yards and the C2L^™ program were highlighted in the Baltimore sports publication, PressBox. (See the article online: Nicaraguan Youths Will Enjoy Benefits From Latino Night. )  In November of that year, the Oriole Advocates sent a large shipment of equipment to Nicaragua. The equipment included:   500 bats, 850 baseballs, 210 gloves, 576 helmets, 866 uniform shirts, 797 uniform pants, 140 catchers’ masks and helmets, 59 chest protectors, along with bases, pitchers’ rubbers, trophies, shin guards, umpire equipment, and other miscellaneous baseball equipment. Bob Harden, 2007 C2L^™ Committee Chairman, and his wife, Shirley, traveled to Nicaragua in January 2008 to represent the Oriole Advocates as the equipment was distributed.  The equipment was divided, based on need, among 90 little league teams. The distributions were held primarily in rural areas in central and nothern Nicaragua and directly benefited 1,800 children ranging in age from 6 to 18.

The distributions were accompanied by ceremonies at baseball fields with bleachers filled with children and parents; local mayors and government officials all took part in the ceremonies.  The smiles on the children’s faces and the warm gratitude of the adults and children alike were overwhelming and certainly validated the efforts of the Oriole Advocates, the C2L^™  program, and everyone who donated equipment, time, or money to the program.  An article about the distributions in Nicaragua appeared on MLB.com.  To see a photo album of the distributions, click here.

The Summer 2007 edition of Messenger Courier World magazine -- the official magazine of the Messenger Courier Association of the Americas (MCAA), of which Runners Inc. is a member -- spotlighted a member of the Oriole Advocates for his contribution to C2L^™.  Click the link below to read the article.