Read and follow the instructions carefully prior to submitting your application on or before May 2, 2025 at midnight.
Jimmy Bland, a Washington, DC native, was a member of the Indianapolis Clowns, a Negro League baseball team. He played second base in his three years with the club, from 1960 to 1962. He lived his life passionately and because of his love for the game, it was always his dream for youth to be involved in the sport. The Jimmy Bland Memorial Baseball/Softball Athletic Scholarship (JBMBAS) has a two-fold purpose: (1) to be a vehicle to have aspiring young baseball/softball players achieve their goals; and (2) to raise awareness about the Negro Baseball League. Candidates must be a member of a high school baseball/softball team or a youth organization such as the Boys and Girls Club or a youth mentoring organization.
The 2025 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating minority high school senior. An independent review committee composed of family members and members of the community will evaluate candidates based on the published criteria. The essay about the Negro Baseball League and the applicant’s knowledge of it is a critical component of the award.
The Tanner Community Resource Center (TCRC) is the fiscal agent for the JBMBAS. TCRC is affiliated with St Paul United Methodist Church of Oxon Hill, MD and for many years, the church home of the Bland family. The Review Committee will award a $1,000 scholarship, which may be used for tuition, room and board and/or fees. The scholarship will be granted for the academic year following the award. Applications may be found on the TCRC Website: ww.tcrcpgmd.org/scholarship
Applicant Criteria for Eligibility
All students applying for the JBMBAS must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a graduating senior in the Washington DC area (DC. MD, VA) who is a baseball/softball player on a team sponsored by his/her high school or a youth mentoring organization such as the Boys and Girls Club.
- Must be Black/African American or person of color and a US citizen or permanent resident. Please submit recent photo 3x5 or smaller.
- Must provide proof of acceptance in an accredited post-secondary institution of education (four-year college, junior college, trade, or vocational school).
- Must possess a minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) calculated through the end of the 2nd quarter of the 2024-2025 academic year.
- Must submit two (2) letters of recommendation. At least one letter must be submitted by a faculty member/coach. If the student participates in baseball/softball through a non-school organization, the second letter must come from a member of that organization. All letters must be submitted on the official letterhead of the recommending institution and emailed directly to the review committee at TCRCPGMD@gmail.com with 2025 SCHOLARSHIP/name of applicant on the subject line.
- Must write a 350-word essay on the Negro Baseball League and how it changed the course of major league baseball for African Americans. Please include how participating in organized sports has influenced your life.
- An official copy of the applicant’s transcript must be submitted by the school counselor or other school official to tcrcpgmd@gmail.com with TRANSCRIPT/name of student on the subject line.
Finalists may be required to meet the review committee via Zoom prior to the selection of the scholarship recipient.
Submission Requirements
- Deadline: All applications should be completed via this form online. Applicants must request officials transcripts to be submitted electronically, time stamped no later than midnight, May 2, 2025, using the following email address: tcrcpgmd@gmail.com with TRANSCRIPT/name of the applicant on the subject line.
Questions regarding the Jimmy Bland Memorial Baseball/Softball Athletic Scholarship should be addressed to: JBMBAS Review Committee and emailed to tcrcpgmd@gmail.com with SCHOLARSHIP on the subject line.