by Erin Edwards
On game days at Dodger Stadium, the energy is electric. But for Dodgers Dreamteam athletes across Los Angeles, the excitement starts the moment they slip on their gloves — many of which come courtesy of the Masons of California.
Dodgers Dreamteam, an affiliate of Nike RBI, is the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s (LADF) signature sports-based youth development program. The program provides thousands of kids the chance to play baseball and softball while also gaining access to critical resources, mentorship and services that extend well beyond the diamond.
“Value is topped at 100% because it allows all kids an opportunity, because baseball is one of the most cost-prohibitive sports there is,” said Harold Johnson, Dodgers Dreamteam coordinator. “With equipment that the Dodgers provide, gloves, uniform, the value can’t be understated as far as what it gives to our community in allowing us to play baseball.”
Since 2015, the Masons4Mitts campaign has ensured that the most basic piece of equipment — a glove — is never a barrier to play. Together, Masons from across the state have raised more than $600,000 to provide over 3,000 brand new mitts for Dodgers Dreamteam players. For many, receiving their own glove is more than a gift — it’s a symbol of opportunity, inclusion and the start of a lifelong love of the game.
That meaning is felt deeply by families across Los Angeles. One Dodgers Dreamteam parent at Franklin D. Roosevelt Park shared: “From the bottom of my heart, Dreamteam makes me feel at home. Kids, they deserve good coaching. They deserve the fundamentals. The way the organization gives out free gloves, free uniforms, it’s beautiful.”
That commitment was celebrated at Dodger Stadium this season, when representatives from the Masons of California — Arthur Salazar, Doug Ismail, Chip Herwegh, Sean Mantucca, Greg Cherry and Freddie Davis — took the field to present a $75,000 check to LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman. The moment honored a partnership built on shared values: creating access, building equity and opening doors for youth across Los Angeles.
As the crowd applauded, the impact was clear. With every glove placed into a child’s hand, the Masons4Mitts campaign is helping fuel a future where every kid has the chance to play, learn and thrive.
To learn more about the Los Angeles Foundation and to support, visit Dodgers.com/LADF.
Masons4Mitts: Equipping Dodgers Dreamteam Athletes with the Tools to Play was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.