Former big leaguer mentors McAlester youth

MCALESTER, Okla. (AP) - It’s easier to play with a big leaguer than to actually play in the big leagues.

This is especially true for some McAlester youth who got to take the diamond with U L Washington, a former shortstop for the Kansas City Royals. Washington is in town and, along with the McAlester Boys and Girls Club, is conducting a baseball camp for aspiring young ball players.

“This is not something I just started doing,” Washington told the News- Capital. “The kids tend to look up to people who, especially in the department I am in, baseball, have played at the highest level. Whatever I can do to promote exercise, discipline and all those things that come with just being a good citizen.”

Washington has family in McAlester. His nephew is McAlester Boys and Girls Club executive Terry Green, the McAlester News-Capital (https://bit.ly/1Go6Apn ) reports.

“The kids are real excited,” Green said. “I think they are getting a lot out of it.”

Dayne Ray, 8, is one of the camp participants at the event Thursday. He said his favorite part about baseball is hitting.

“I can hit it real far,” Ray said.

Washington also had a knack for hitting the ball well in the big leagues. He accumulated 703 hits and 27 homers in a 11-year career. He also played for the Montreal Expos and the Pittsburgh Pirates in his career.

He said baseball has played a large role in his life. He hopes to use the game as a teaching tool to help build a successful foundation for the kids.

“Educate the kids and keep them out of trouble and keep them busy,” Washington said was the goal of the camp. “Whatever it takes to get them from whatever age they come in here to whatever age the leave, to give them structure and to help out anyway I can.”

Washington said he visited McAlester often while growing up in Stringtown.

“I am pretty familiar with McAlester,” Washington said. “For a small place, I’ve been in some pretty good-sized cities. I’ve always enjoyed coming up here. The city’s nice. I have a lot of relatives and friends who live here now.”

He also said the new Boys and Girls Club facility in McAlester is “outstanding.”

“It’s really nice,” Washington said. “The gym can accommodate just about anything. All the tools are in place. It just takes a lot of leadership and what I have seen with the first group of kids is the parents were involved, so that’s good also.”

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Information from: McAlester News-Capital, https://www.mcalesternews.com