A group of little leaguers from Far Rockaway get a chance to see the Yankees in action.  And it was all thanks to the New York City Ferry.  NY1's Gene Apodaca followed the kids on their journey.

 

Sunday's Yankees game marked the end of a special day for participants of Far Rockaway’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities Program, or R-B-I.

Reporter: "Where's your mitt?"

Player 1: "I figure I don't need one.”

The experience started with a ferry ride.

28 players, coaches and chaperones were all treated to a free trip on the ferry’s new route from the Rockaways to Wall Street. 

Reporter “Do you feel like a celebrity doing it like this?" 

Player 2: "Yeah.”

Reporter: “Have you ever been on the Ferry before?”

Player 3: “No.”

Reporter: ”What do you think?”

Player 3: “I think it’s cool, because it’s like a train but on water.”  

The day’s activities were all put together by NYC ferry and it’s operator as part of Hornblower’s community outreach program. From Now until October, the company plans to give away free Yankee tickets to deserving kids across the city. 

 The Far Rockaway RBI’s hail from an area devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

The league’s sponsor, The Child Center of New York, says programs like the RBI’s, which encourages youth outreach, deserve the attention.

“To see this opportunity come about because of the grass roots efforts only shows how powerful they can be for people in the community to take their time and give back,“ said Deepmalya Ghosh, The Child Center of NY.

NYC ferry says they selected the team after seeing an advertisement in one of the local papers, they were fundraising for a father-daughter event.

"I realized they were a little league team and I was like Yankee tickets that’s a combination,” said Elana Ehrenberg, NYC Ferry Community Development Supervisor.

The ferry even provided transportation to and from Yankee stadium, at no cost.

A baseball outing, that these kids won’t likely forget.  

“Most our kids don’t get to experience stuff like this so with this today is very exciting for them,” said Steven Flake, Far Rockaway RBI’s Parent Coordinator.