About Us

Mission Statement:

“Developing faith based social responsibility in at-risk youth.”

Method Statement:

“Providing faith based mentoring and encouragement to underserved youth, while building enduring relationships and preparing tomorrow’s community leaders through baseball.”

Vision Statement:

“Community leaders centered in Christ, mentoring social responsibility to the next generation of youth.”

WBO Objectives

Our Objective is to secure funding for World Baseball Outreach to: a) actively engage and spark a new excitement in our youth. b) Equip our youth with Christ-like values, strong leadership skills and enduring relationships through our Christian mentors. c) Provide inner city youth baseball/softball clinics. d) Build and help maintain playing fields to provide a safe and fun playing environment. e) Provide baseball or softball equipment to everyone in need.

Brief History

Founded in 1995, World Baseball Outreach’s journey started with a mission trip to Nicaragua in which we distributed six baseball gloves and dozens of baseballs. Soon after, WBO began collecting baseball and softball equipment at three drop-off sites in the Tulsa area.

Since 1995, WBO has shipped baseball and softball to over ten countries. WBO has also joined with several local churches in efforts to continue bringing equipment to children. Some of these churches include Boston Avenue Methodist, Parkview Baptist, Asbury United Methodist, Christ United Methodist, and First United Methodist.

As of 2007, World Baseball Outreach had collected over 1000 baseball gloves, 3500 baseballs, 200 sets of catcher’s gear, and 1250 baseball bats.

In 2007 clinics were conducted locally at the Tulsa Boys Home and Tulsa Dream Center. Clinics were also conducted at boys’ ranches in Missouri and Colorado. Clinics provided brand new baseball gloves for each player, T-shirts, new equipment building, L-screens, and professional and collegiate instruction.

Jerry Jacobson

I was given my first glove at age 4. It was a blistery Saturday afternoon in the middle of the summer. My Uncle Ralph taught me how to catch and that same day handed me my first wooden bat. I was hooked! I was that kid that slept with his glove on one hand and his hat in the other. That was the bright side. On the other side I grew up feeling alone, low self esteem, and not knowing my father. I was all by myself in the big world and felt uncertain of my strengths and abilities. That is where baseball stepped in. When it was baseball season, I was a part of a team. I had a great coach that always told me “great job” or there were even times where he told me I needed to work harder. During baseball season I always felt good inside. When the seasons came to an end, the good feelings were replaced with lonely ones again. I was not a one sport guy back then but I only excelled in baseball so in football and other sports, I didn’t hear very many positive statements that made me feel as welcome and wanted as baseball season had provided. As I grew older, my talents carried me into college and Independent League levels. Still, baseball was all I felt I had and was the only place I could go and feel good about myself. I was always praying to God that no matter what happens, I want to play professional baseball. It was something I prayed about daily. The only problem was at the end of each prayer, I would always add at the end, very softly, that if God didn’t have it in his plans for me to play professionally, I always wanted to be coaching and helping out kids just like me. At some moment long before my first breath, I believe God intended for me to do just that. At the age of 49, I am still playing in men’s leagues in Tulsa. I was even part of a great bunch of guys that won the Men’s 35+ World Series in 2002. My biggest joy today is taking the field with kids that don’t have a positive role model in their life. Many of these kids do not have a father at home and some do not have a mother or a father; the emptiness that they feel and live every day I can understand. I learned from Tommy Maxwell former Baltimore Colt and founder of “Coaches Outreach” that coaches are not really coaches, they’re youth ministers. He is so right. Each coach could come in contact with as many as 20,000 kids in a life time. What an overwhelming opportunity! What an overwhelming need! I started WBO thinking God just wanted me putting a glove in every lonely hand but God has moved WBO towards something bigger. We are in the business of telling every child “GOOD JOB!” We are in the business of building and improving their self esteem, building friendships, and most importantly we are in the business of pointing them towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please join us in any of the many ways to get involved including praying for us and the lives we touch. Today, for me… I have someone telling me “Great job son!” every day!