MLB players and brothers Chase and Travis d’Arnaud hope their new Baseballism Academy will help develop the next generation of major leaguers. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News on Jan. 25, 2024.
Two Major League Baseball players from Long Beach opened a brand new athletic facility in their hometown to invest in future baseball players.
"We are just a couple of kids that love playing the game," said Chase d'Arnaud standing next to his brother Travis inside d'Arnaud Athletics Baseballism Academy in Long Beach's Los Altos neighborhood.
The two brothers, who have more than a decade of Major League experience, opened the academy to give back to the community that they say has always had their back.
The state-of-art facility will use technology and expertise from their MLB days to help players get to the next level.
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"We develop players and human beings," said Chase, who retied from the MLB in 2019. "You know you can't just be athletic. You have to be a good person, too."
The brothers say they've always wanted to teach the lessons they learned in the big leagues and bring that expertise back to the hometown.
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"There is something about this town in Long Beach where everybody loves everybody," said Travis, who still plays for the Atlanta Braves. The 34-year-old was part of the team when it won the 2021 World Series.
The brothers were encouraged to open the academy by their grandfather, Ted d'Arnaud, who they called "Dr. T." Unfortunately, "Dr. T" lost his battle with cancer.
"He passed away on opening night," said Chase. "He wanted to be part of it."
The grieving brothers are honoring their grandfather by naming part of the facility after him.
"We are going to call this tunnel right here Ted's tunnel," said Chase, pointing to their pro-cage. "This is very special to us. If it weren't for him, I don't know we would have done this."
