BASEBALL WITHOUT BORDERS FOUNDATION
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Mission Statement
Baseball Without Borders Foundation (BWBF) is dedicated to education and cultural exchange through baseball. We send equipment and players overseas to assist players of all ages and continents to enjoy America's Pastime.
About This Cause
Baseball Without Borders Foundation is dedicated to expanding the minds of our youth, through the medium of baseball. We believe that international travel and goodwill work in conjunction to get our players to think Globally not locally. Through the interaction of our players with players from others countries, and providing much needed baseball safety equipment, our player will gain an understanding of how their less fortunate counterparts around the world share the same hopes and dream that our players do - to have a better life and to live in peace with a prosperous future. So far our organization has donated new and used baseball equipment to the youth of Nigeria, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, The Philippines, Kosovo, The Ukraine, Romania and Italy. We have also supported Roberto's Kids with shipping cost for a shipment if equipment to Uganda. BWB has received request from The Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, South Africa and Ghana. Our players have helped us pack and ship equipment destined for the youth of Nicaragua. So far our players have traveled to Mexico, Italy and Nicaragua. The history of Baseball Without Borders (BWB) in a nut-shell. Juan Bustos, grew up in a neighborhood that has seen it's share of violence. He was born and raised in the Mission District of San Francisco. His world - the square blocks between the hills of Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, west to Dolores Street and north to 14th Street. His baseball days - while not many - were played in a cement parking lot across from St. Peter's School. His playing skills were minimum and oftentimes he was the last to be picked and first to be traded on the cement sandlot teams. While getting older, his Mission District grew smaller. The at age17, wanting to build a future, he joined the U.S. Navy. Although he was not ready to take the giant leap outside of his familiar world, the Navy sent him to Japan. His next home - the U.S.S. Oklahoma City (CG-5). Juan described this ship, as a "Floating Whitehouse" because it had the Commander of the Seventh Fleet onboard. The ship went from Asian port to another. He was constantly on the move and very fortunate to have experienced places he had only dreamed about. His Navy experience opened his eyes to a much bigger world. However, out of a long and sometimes hurtful history, comes understanding and a desire to create his own change. After watching great baseball by immigrant kids from Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Japan, he wondered why local players could not expand their own baseball experience. He thought why not give local players an opportunity to expand their own foreign baseball experience? So he wanted to create a world travel baseball organization. Juan especially cared for the less fortunate and wanted to find travel opportunities for them. Juan believes that baseball has no borders. He says, by taking players out of their environment, the window to learning opens, expands the mind " to walk in another's cleats" and builds bridges to understanding, respect and long-lasting friendships. So one day in 1995, with a grant from the S.F. Rex Foundation, Juan's brother, Jesus, his brother-in-law Jose Quintero, and his dear friend, Dan Salgado traveled to Mexicali, Mexico. Not knowing anyone, armed with just a name - Jesus Rocha - they found, Sostenes "Toto" Garcia who agreed to help form their first friendship tournament. This trip, consisted multi-race, multi-gender players came from all over the Bay Area. Players saw hospitality that was second to none, but the baseball - was unbelievable! On return BWB hosted Mexicali players in tournaments play in So. City, San Bruno, San Carlos, Morgan Hill and in Phoenix. BWB then shifted its focus to helping the youth of Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Russia with donated equipment and uniforms. Yes, young Mayan players, in the hills of Guatemala have worn jerseys, donated by So. City PAL, All Souls and St. Veronica's. In 2006, Dave and Camille Pozzi suggested BWB take baseball to Italy. So in BWB's first ever foreign baseball clinic, their Italian trainees ended a practice game, by smoothly executing a double play against their American trainers. Although BWB has been instrumental in expanding horizons, and has broken many barriers, BWB dreams to build a cultural exchange bridge, so our young players can expand their small world views, by having "an out of the country homerun" experience. The experience of international travel and international goodwill is the building block to a brighter future for many of our players not only here in the US but also around the world.