Baltimore star from Sherwood hosts free baseball clinic for kids at Portland Expo

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Saturday was time to ‘play ball’ as Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles hosted a free baseball clinic for kids at the Portland Expo Center.

Sherwood’s homegrown all-star Rutschman has always been one to swing in with some smiles back home in the Beaver state.

“It was cool to see everyone smiling and laughing,” Rutschman said. “This is where I grew up and I feel a special connection to here and to the people here.”

The Oregon State Beavers legend made good on his word to host his second free youth baseball clinic for over a hundred grade school kids in the Rose City after having to postpone during the Portland Public Schools strike in November.

Gerald Bolden is with local nonprofit Friends of Baseball, who are reviving the joy of the game for inner-city kids.

“[Rutschman] is kind of codifying everything that we have done,” Bolden said. “I am just overwhelmed with joy that this is even a possibility at this point, and presently, just trying to stay present so the future can grow.”

The silver slugger from the Baltimore Orioles is a real-life role model to the happy campers and 22-year-old kids like Mick Abel, a Jesuit High graduate, who is a triple-A pitcher hoping to break training camp with Philadelphia Phillies.

“He’ll do everything it takes to make kids better and help everybody else around him and especially in his community,” Able said.

Guys like Abel and some PIL high school teams all donated part of their off day to make sure these kids received the gift to play ball.

Clarence Richmond is the head coach at his alma mater Jefferson High.

“This is the dedication that we have for baseball and Adley, man, he is just a blessing,” Richmond said. “This is the seed planting right here. These kids right here, this age, this is where it starts.”

Memories made and parting swag to boot – new shoes, a backpack, poster and lunch to go.

Ryan Heil with Nike said, “I think the thing at Nike that we really appreciate is how good of a human being he is as well. How he’s been raised and I think that reflects in the work he does in the community.”

Randy Rutschman, Adley’s dad, was also part of the day.