By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Chris Nelms is an idea man. As founding director of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program in Cincinnati, finding creative methods to lure African-American youth to baseball is part of the responsibility.

"It's a lot of work," Nelms said. "It's a labor of love, but it's also a struggle."

The former Reds minor leaguer, who starred at Taft High and Central State, is at a crossroads, though.

As an independently operated chapter, Cincinnati's RBI program is struggling because of limited funding and waning interest.

The program attracted 250 children last year but fielded only an instructional league and a girls' softball team according to Nelms.

More than 120,000 children ages 13-18 in 190 cities worldwide participate in the RBI program. The program has thrived in Los Angeles where in excess of 10,000 children participate. Former Dodgers and current Yankees pitcher Kevin Brown donated $1 million.

"RBI is designed for the masses," Nelms said. "But the program has evolved to the point where you have to make a decision to either serve the masses by holding a local league or put together a team to represent the city in the regional (tournaments)."

Major League Baseball, which administers the program in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs, donated $5,000 to help start the Cincinnati chapter in 1999.

The Reds matched that donation and have since funded other components of the RBI program such as transportation.

"That's just a mere pittance of the total need," said Nelms, who estimates $25,000 per year would adequately fund the program.

Among the community programs supported by the Reds is the 2-year-old Rookie Success League.

The league is a joint venture between the Reds Community Fund, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission and Tri-Health. It's a six-week program for at-risk youth ages 8-to 11 from the inner city.

"With our knothole support and the Reds Rookie Success League I think we just wanted to do something that was less competitive (than RBI)," said Lorrie Platt, Reds community relations manager. "The Reds Rookie Success League was our way of supporting inner-city baseball."

The program, held at Schmidt Field on Eastern Ave., provides free transportation, physicals, food, jerseys and equipment, including a glove participants keep.

"I think it's a good program," Nelms said of the Rookie Success League. "It's one that's needed."

Nelms also is working on a 12 to 15-point blueprint to revitalize baseball in Cincinnati and any urban area.

"(RBI) is well intended, but I think they're going to have to probably go back and assess doing more," Nelms said.

If you're interested

• For more information about the Reds Rookie Success League contact the Cincinnati Recreation Commission at 352-4000 or visit www.cincyrec.org.

• For more information about the Cincinnati RBI Program contact Chris Nelms at 333-1211.