Two sports publications not only want to hear from young fans, but also need their support.
Major League Baseball for Kids and Sports Illustrated for Kids are the two largest publications that depend on the responses and involvement of young baseball fans.
MLB for Kids comes out three times during the baseball season (May, June/July and August/September). Approximately 200,000 copies of each issue are handed out free to kids entering major-league ballparks across the country.
The publication encourages boys and girls 8 to 12 years old to write articles, interview major-league players and supply ideas for stories.
This year, players such as Ken Griffey, Tony Gwynn and Brett Butler have been featured. The magazine also has games, puzzles and trivia.
Another magazine aimed for younger fans, Sports Illustrated for Kids, also relies on receiving letters and ideas.
It is published monthly and is available at most newsstands and bookstores at $2.50.
SI for Kids has a computer-assisted photo of Cal Ripken posing with Lou Gehrig on its cover. On a page inside, it shows step-by-step how Ripken was placed with his arm over the back of Gehrig.
It has such features as "letters" for younger fans to express their opinions; a "kids debate" over a question of the month; a "kids ask" article that answers various sports questions on terminology and rules; a collectors page; a page full of funny photos that asks younger fans to send their suggestions for a caption; an art gallery that shows younger fans' drawings of their favorite stars; and cartoons, jokes and games.
The magazine has features about young athletes, and lets kids send in questions to ask athletes, who answer them in the next issue. In some cases, SI for Kids give the addresses to write to players.
Keyote turning 3
The Frederick Keys are throwing a birthday party at Grove Stadium for Keyote, their mascot who turns 3 years old Saturday.
The party, which will include mascots from all around the region, begins at 6 p.m. with a Simon Sez game on the field.
The Keys also are sponsoring a birthday card contest for children under 14.
To enter, children must design a card on a letter-size piece of paper and send it to the Keys' office, P.O. Box 3169, Frederick, Md., 21705-3169.
