Former professional baseball player Chris Singleton will join the Rev. Eric Manning to hand out free baseball gear to youths on Feb. 27 at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
All elementary school students are eligible to receive free baseball bats and baseballs at the drive-thru event.
The initiative is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 27 in the church parking lot, 110 Calhoun St.
The event is an effort to expose more minority youths to baseball and softball.
"We know there aren’t that many African Americans in baseball," said Manning, pastor of Emanuel AME.
Singleton reached out to the minister some time ago with the idea to distribute equipment, stemming from Singleton's passion for the game.
The Goose Creek native grew up playing baseball, competed at Charleston Southern University and played for the Chicago Cubs organization. He also serves as the director of community outreach for the Charleston Riverdogs.
Rev. Eric Manning places a box of food into a trunk during a community food distribution at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. The church and Chris Singleton will distribute baseball gear on Feb. 27 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. File/Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff
Manning offered Emanuel AME as a host site for the event.
The church is where Singleton's mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was killed in 2015 during Bible Study along with eight others by a self-avowed white supremacist.
Saturday's event will continue her legacy, in addition to exposing youths to baseball and softball, Manning said.
"Everyone understands our connection always with Chris, his sister, younger brother and family," Manning said. "We are glad to be able to partner with him."
Manning said his relationship with Singleton will continue, "regardless if I'm the pastor of Mother Emanuel or not.”
