Uniforms donated to Benton Harbor baseball

BUCHANAN, Mich. - It takes a village to put a baseball team on the field. At least that’s been Benton Harbor Youth Baseball this summer.

A few weeks ago ABC 57 News told you about the league playing without uniforms this summer and a Niles woman coming forward to help the cause.

Friday the first uniforms rolled off the press.

 “Oh wow those look so good,” said Tammy Pressler that Niles woman, picking up a box of orange jerseys. In May Pressler vowed to do everything she could to keep Benton Harbor’s league viable.

The Benton Harbor Bengals shirts will be delivered Saturday in time for opening day. The shirts are for two of the league’s travel teams. “This will be the first time in a couple of years they’ve all matched,” said Pressler.

This summer Benton Harbor Youth Baseball had a hole in funding. A total of 200 players have been practicing and playing with only the shirts on their back.

In her efforts Pressler made several calls to recruit referees, a photographer and round up equipment. One of her calls went to Debra Mummaw, Owner of Impressive Lettering in Buchanan.  

“I said I’d be glad to help,” said Mummaw.

After hearing about the cause Mummaw agreed to print uniforms at cost and do a little something extra for the players. She put names on the back of each jersey. “It’s like a fairytale,” she said. “Where you can help out and give them the confidence to go out and play good ball. When you look good you play good.”

Right now there are still more than 100 players without uniforms. Pressler said she’ll try and suit them all up if she can but this is a good start.

Tomorrow Pressler said will be a big payoff. “We’ll go out there and meet the kids and just to see their faces that’ll be the best part of all of this.”