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ApL Princeton WhistlePigs

Bill Cole Automall, Rays & Jays Partner For Area Youth

March 27, 2012 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release


A monumental deal has been announced on March 27 between southern West Virginia's two professional baseball teams, the Bluefield Blue Jays and the Princeton Rays, and Bill Cole Automall that will provide several large benefits at no charge to the area's youth during the course of 2012.

One of the larger components of the agreement highlights a very significant feature for the upcoming summer. The sponsorship of Bill Cole Automall has made it possible for any boy or girl age 14 and under throughout the region to receive free admission to all Appalachian League regular season home games in 2012 at either the Princeton or Bluefield ballparks simply by wearing their Little League jersey top to the game.

This admission policy for youth baseball players was among the first in a long line of items to be arrived at in this large marketing package that has been a work in progress since December by all parties involved.

"We consider this an overall landmark deal that just took on a life of its own when we started talking and grew to be better and better. Bill Cole asked us how he could help the area's youth while being involved with both our ballclubs at the same time. The season-long free admission deal for Little Leaguers rewards kids for their participation in youth baseball, enables them to attend more Appy League games than maybe they normally would, while also making it more affordable for their parents to come out more often too," commented Princeton Rays' general manager Jim Holland.

The two teams and Bill Cole Automall have also agreed to combine forces on the "Reading Is a Home Run" campaign that has already previously been launched by the

Bluefield Blue Jays to share the joy of reading with youngsters across this region.

Representatives from all three parties will make appearances year-round at various elementary schools, civic groups, and youth centers where they will read, many times with their team mascots in attendance, and conduct other activities to show how reading is an integral part of all of our lives.

Both the Bluefield and Princeton teams will take it a step further by establishing "book bins" at their ballparks for families to donate used children's books that will be available for free for other children to take home to keep. Often children whose families cannot afford books do not initially take advantage of libraries and a book of their own can be a prized possession. The free Little League admissions additionally will give even more children access to these books. The program will now be sponsored by Bill Cole Automall with the assistance of The Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia.

"The joy of reading is such a gift and we are thrilled that Bill Cole shares our dream and desire to bring reading to the forefront in the lives of our youth," Chris Maxwell, general manager of the Bluefield Blue Jays, who added he feels this overall agreement is the beginning of a great partnership between these three outstanding organizations in helping to impact young people for the rest of their lives.

Additionally, local fans this summer can expect to see an additional presence from Cole Subaru at Bluefield's Bowen Field and from Cole Kia at Princeton's Hunnicutt Field as another part of the extensive agreement. Repesentatives from the Bill Cole Automall look forward to meeting many of the followers of these two great baseball organizations this summer.

The Princeton Rays are an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays while the Bluefield Blue Jays are an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They will each play a 68-game schedule during the upcoming 2012 Appalachian League season that will stretch from June 19 to August 28.

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