Two former Braves will be in the Truist Park dugouts July 11 when MLB’s third annual HBCU Swingman Classic takes place.
Brian Jordan will manage the game’s National League team, while David Justice will lead the American League. Ken Griffey Jr. — whom the event is named for — helped select them from a wide group of Braves alumni.
“(Griffey) always felt it was important to have players that played in the major leagues, or have managed in the major leagues, to mentor and help give the players at the HBCUs a different perspective,” Del Matthews, senior vice president of baseball development for MLB, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And the same information that he received when he was coming up.”
The game will take place the Friday before the MLB All-Star game and will feature 50 of the top HBCU athletes. Former Braves Dusty Baker, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ralph Garr Sr. also will be in attendance as special guests.
The event provides an opportunity for athletes to immerse themselves in the All-Star experience. It gives them a stage to showcase their capabilities and potentially earn an opportunity to play after college.
Matthews said multiple former participants ended up playing in the minor leagues, and their achievements enforce the goal of the event. MLB wants to set the athletes up for further success, he added, while creating an unforgettable memory.
“They see their name tag up on the lockers, and they see their uniform,” Matthews said. “The sparkle in their eyes — the laughter and the smiles and just watching the players interact with each other and the former major leaguers is special and extremely unique. It never gets old when you see it happen.”
And Jordan and Justice will help to guide them through it.
“Those were two of the names at the top of the list,” Matthews said. “Two great ambassadors to lead these young men.”
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