Published: May 16, 2008 01:11 am         

Youths invited to parade in local pro baseball game

GREENVILLE — Youth baseball and softball players are invited to parade before the Greenville Pro Baseball Classic on Saturday night at John Mason Field in Greenville.

The 7 p.m. game pits the Texarkana Gunslingers vs. the McKinney Blue Thunder in a Continental Baseball League exhibition game on the home diamond of the Greenville High School Lions.

Players from the Greenville YMCA and Tri-County Youth baseball and softball games are invited to participate in uniform in a pre-game parade and sing the national anthem. Each player who attends the game can attend a free postgame baseball clinic.

Admission to all is $6.

“We want to showcase our league and our family-friendly environment to Greenville,” said Ron Baron, founder and president of the CBL. “We want to give them a first hand look at how affordable we are, and how much fun and entertainment we can bring to the community.”

Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Steve Trout manages the Gunslingers.

Former Texas Rangers infielder Curtis Wilkerson manages the Blue Thunder.

The other two CBL teams are the Corpus Christi Beach Dawgs and the Houston Bay Area Toros.