Take Subway out to the Ball Game

Through its partnership with Little League Baseball, Subway Restaurants announced today the first annual “Baseball Design Across America” tour commencing with a National Opening Day game in Los Angeles on March 24.

The tour will kick off the 70th anniversary of the first Little League season and will feature baseballs designed and autographed by celebrities that will be auctioned off to the public with the total proceeds benefiting the Little League.

The tour will make stops in seven U.S. cities including the final stop in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, at the Little League World Series.

Beginning in Los Angeles, the tour will be accompanied by baseball legends who will be serving as official program spokespeople, which include Red Sox Hall of Famer Fred Lynn (Boston, 6/9), two-time World Series champion George Foster (Indianapolis, 6/26) and World Series MVP Bucky Dent (New York City, 8/6).

The tour will also make a stop in Philadelphia and St. Louis during All-Star festivities; additional details will be announced when they become available.

“As part of our commitment to healthy, active lifestyles for kids, Subway Restaurants have been proud sponsors of Little League Baseball since 2005,” says Tony Pace, chief marketing officer, Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust.

“National Opening Day in Los Angeles and the ‘Baseball Designs Across America’ tour were developed to showcase this great youth sports organization.”

Major League Baseball Hall of Fame member Dave Winfield and former All-Star Fred Lynn will serve as celebrity coaches in the National Opening Day game to be held this month at La Cienega Park, Beverly Hills, California, giving the Little Leaguers a chance to interact with two of baseball’s all-time greats. The legendary ballplayers will also throw out a ceremonial first pitch.

Some of the celebrities that have designed and autographed baseballs for the tour include Oscar winner Ben Affleck, actor Zac Efron, tennis star Andy Roddick, musician Gavin DeGraw, World Series champion Ryan Howard, four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, and the cast of HBO’s “Entourage.”

On June 9, auctions for the celebrity-autographed baseballs will open to the public on Mission Fish, a charitable partner of eBay, and will run through the Little League Baseball World Series that concludes on Aug. 30.