Inspiration Fields

The Players Trust helps fuel baseball’s future through a program in which players receive $100,000 grants to build new fields or renovate old ones.

The “Inspiration Field” program provides another significant way for players to become active in their communities, either in their hometowns or in their adopted Major-League homes.

The players earn the grant money for various reasons. In recent years, the grants have been for winning the Big League Challenge Home Run contest.

"The kids in the area needed a suitable field to play on," Rafael Palmeiro said after throwing out the first pitch at the Fort Worth Christian School’s newly renovated field in Fort Worth, Texas.

Palmeiro's donation, earned for winning the Big League Challenge, enabled the school to start its 2004 season with a new clay and sod playing surface, sprinkler system, foul poles, outfield fence, sheltered areas, a field tarp and sidewalks.

"When I was growing up in Miami there were fields everywhere to play on. There weren't enough fields in this area. What they had at this school was not suitable."

Additionally, a player who chose to remain anonymous used his grant money to build a field in the Dominican Republic.

Players who won grants from Players Trust to build Inspiration Fields:

Lance Berkman	(Katy, Texas)
Barry Bonds	(San Mateo, Calif.)
Pat Burrell	(Felton, Calif.)
Brian Giles	(TBD)
Mark McGwire	(Huntington Beach. Calif.)
Magglio Ordonez	(Caracas, Venezuela)
Rafael Palmeiro	(Fort Worth, Texas)
Albert Pujols	(Chesterfield, Mo.)
Cal Ripken, Jr.	(Aberdeen, Md.)
Alex Rodriguez	(Miami, Fla.)
Sammy Sosa	(Chicago)

Additionally, a player who chose to remain anonymous used his grant money to build a field in the Dominican Republic.