The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League’s 34th annual championships are underway in Richmond, with youth teams from across the East Coast competing through Sunday, Aug. 3.

The event features a full slate of games in divisions for 12-under, 14-under, 16-under and 19-under boys, along with an 18-under girls’ softball championship. Richmond has hosted the MJBL’s flagship inner-city tournament since 2019.

Participating teams hail from Virginia, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Ahead of the tournament’s start, the 21st Annual Bobby Bonds Memorial Symposium was held Tuesday via Zoom. This year’s panel discussion, titled “Returning the Game to Our Communities,” focused on how baseball and education can help address challenges facing youth in underserved communities.

Panelists included Tyrone Brooks, Major League Baseball’s senior director for front office and field operations; Will Boone, founder of Afro Blew Media Inc.; and Matisse Lee, associate commissioner for external partnerships and special projects at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Paul Johnson of Pennsylvania served as moderator.

“We are extremely grateful to have this group of dynamic panelists to explain how baseball can benefit our youth and their communities,” Johnson said.

Tournament play began Wednesday at Dorey Park with pool games starting at 1 p.m., fol- lowed by the Mike Berry Home Run Derby for the 16-under and 19-under divisions at 6 p.m.

Opening ceremonies took place at 7:30 p.m., featuring a ceremonial first pitch by the Rev. Roscoe Cooper, Henrico County’s 5th District representative. The day concluded with a featured 19-under matchup between Richmond’s VA Overlook Dawgs and the defending champions, the Heritage Rebels of Greenville, North Carolina.

Championship games in the 12-under and 14-under divisions will be held Saturday at 5 p.m. On Sunday, the 18-under girls and 16-under boys will play their title games at 10:30 a.m., followed by the 19-under championship at 1 p.m. All games are at Dorey Park.

The top performer in the 19-under division will receive the Ken Free Most Valuable Player Classic Scholarship. All registered players are also being given free passes to Kings Dominion.