The Minnesota Twins will host both the 2011 and 2012 Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) World Series, the national baseball and softball tournament and annual culmination of the RBI program. The 2011 tournament will be held from August 2 to 14 at various locations throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, with the Baseball Championship Games being played at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins. The RBI program is the Major League Baseball youth initiative designed to provide opportunities to play baseball and softball, to encourage academic success, and to teach the value of teamwork and other important life lessons to underserved young people, ages 5 to 18, from urban communities.

"The Minnesota Twins will be a great host for the RBI World Series in 2011 and 2012," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. "The opportunity to play in Target Field, one of the crown jewels of MLB ballparks, will add even more incentive for the kids. This event is special because it allows young people from underserved communities to have a variety of new experiences that will enrich their lives and demonstrate the possibilities of what life can offer."

"The Twins are honored to host the RBI World Series here at Target Field," said Dave St. Peter, President, Minnesota Twins. "We look forward to welcoming young athletes from across the nation and to watching some great youth baseball at Target Field." Baseball tournament games will be played at Parade Stadium and Neiman Athletic Complex in Minneapolis, and Toni Stone Stadium in St. Paul. Softball tournament games will be played at Neiman Athletic Complex in Minneapolis and Dunning Softball Fields in St. Paul. The Softball Championship Game will be played at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium at the University of Minnesota.

Twenty-four teams will compete in the RBI World Series and will be divided into three divisions: Junior Baseball (13-15 year olds); Senior Baseball (16-18 year olds); and Softball (19 and under). Winners from each division in the RBI Regionals, local tournaments in eight designated areas around the country (Central, East, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West) and the Caribbean, will have earned berths to participate in the championship tournaments.

The RBI program has provided a path for many players to enter the college and professional game. More than 190 RBI participants have been drafted by MLB Clubs throughout the program's 22-year history and many others were given the opportunity for higher education through baseball and softball scholarships. RBI alumni currently playing in the big leagues include: Carl Crawford (Boston Red Sox), Yovani Gallardo (Milwaukee Brewers), James Loney (Los Angeles Dodgers) James McDonald (Pittsburgh Pirates), CC Sabathia (New York Yankees) and Justin Upton (Arizona Diamondbacks). Crawford (Houston RBI - '97) and Loney (Houston RBI - '99) both played in a RBI World Series. In 2010, ten current and former RBI participants were selected in the First-Year Player Draft.

The RBI program is administered by Major League Baseball, and in 2011, the program is projected to provide more than 200,000 boys and girls the opportunity to play baseball and softball in more than 300 programs established in more than 200 cities worldwide. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $30 million worth of resources to the RBI program, and all 30 Clubs support RBI leagues. For more information, please visit: http://www.mlb.com/rbi.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.