GRANDERSON SPENT 16 SEASONS  PLAYING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
NOW HE'S PASSING DOWN THOSE  YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO THE  NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS AND  INSPIRING THEM TO PURSUE  COLLEGE CHICAGO.
TONIGHT'S  JOANNA HERNANDEZ TELLS US  ABOUT THE GRANDE MAN'S  BASEBALL ACADEMY.
>> I WAS IN THEIR SHOES AND I  WAS ALSO IN YOUR SHOES.
I  STARTED PLAYING WHEN I WAS 6  YEARS OLD.
CURTIS GRANDERSON  IS RETIRED FROM MAJOR LEAGUE  BASEBALL, BUT HE'S STILL  MAKING MOVES ON THE FIELD.
THESE ARE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF  BASEBALL PLAYERS THAT YOU CAN  BECOME WITHOUT GOING  PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND ALL OF  THEM ARE STRIVING TO BECOME  PROS.
>> GRANDERSON IS THE FOUNDER  OF CHICAGO, BASEBALL AND  EDUCATIONAL RUNS IT AT HIS  ALMA MATER.
THE UNIVERSITY OF  ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO.
WE BUILT  THE STADIUM WHERE WE'RE  SITTING RIGHT NOW IN 2014 AND  THEN 2 YEARS LATER, OK, HOW DO  WE GET THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO  THIS?
AMAZING GOT CAUGHT THE  BEST VIEW IN BASEBALL.
THE  ORGANIZATION WANTS A VARIETY  OF CAMPS, CLINICS IN  TOURNAMENTS FOR KIDS ACROSS  CHICAGO ALL YEAR LONG.
I WANT  TALKS ABOUT HOW SEGREGATED THE  CITY AND BASEBALL IN SPORT.
FEEL LIKE IS A REALLY GOOD  NEUTRALIZE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE  TOGETHER THE 3 TIME.
MLB  ALL-STAR SAYS THE PROGRAM'S  MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH BY  PLAYING HARD AND DREAM AND  WHEN I WAS PLAYING MAJOR  LEAGUE BASEBALL IS ONE OF A  HANDFUL OF PLAYERS WITH A  COLLEGE DEGREE.
SO I KNEW THE  IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
ALSO  GIVING BACK.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT  WAS CALLED GIVING BACK AT THE  TIME.
I WOULD JUST WATCH MY  PARENTS DO 8 YEAR-OLD CAMERON  VASQUEZ IS ALREADY THINKING  BIG.
DO WANT TO PLAY  PROFESSIONALLY.
YES, HOW COME?
SO I COULD BE LIKE THEY'VE YOU  LIKE BABE YEAH.
>> TOO BAD.
HE IS THAT WHEN  YOU MADE PAY IT PAY NOW FACES  UIC BASEBALL PLAYER.
JAMES  HARRIS IS ONE OF THE COACHES  IN THE ORGANIZATION.
>> IS REALLY JUST ABOUT GIVING  BACK FOR IT'S ALWAYS FUN.
AND,  YOU KIDS LIKE THEY BEGAN TO  THE COLLEGE SENIOR STARTED  PLAYING WHEN HE WAS A KID.
>> NOW WORKING TO SCORE A SPOT  IN THE BIG LEAGUES.
AND THAT'S  DEFINITELY ONE OF THE BIG  DREAMS FOR ME.
>> I'M MAKING IT TO THE  LEAGUE.
SO MY MINDSET HAVE TO  WORK ANYMORE.
CURTIS  GRANDERSON BELIEVES ONE WAY TO  GET TO THE BIG LEAGUES IS  THROUGH EDUCATION.
CURRENTLY  LESS THAN 7% OF MLB ROSTERS  ARE BLACK.
>> THAT'S ACCORDING TO CENTRAL  FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE FOR  DIVERSITY AND ETHICS IN SPORT.
>> PAST YEAR IN THE MAJOR  LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT, 80% OF  THE PLAYERS DRAFTED.
WE'RE  FROM COLLEGE.
SO IF WE'RE  GOING TO DRAFT PLAYERS FROM  COLLEGE, WE GOT TO GET MORE  PLAYERS INTO COLLEGE.
WE HAVE  TO GET MORE PLAYERS OF COLOR  INTO COLLEGE FOR SOME KIDS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY  STEP ONTO A COLLEGE CAMPUS.
>> AND EXPERIENCE GRANDERSON  SAYS INSPIRES KIDS TO BECOME A  STUDENT ATHLETE.
NOW I'M IN A  POSITION.
>> I HAD THE ABILITY TO HELP  OTHER PEOPLE, THE FILL THEIR  DREAMS.
AND IT MAY NOT  NECESSARILY BE AT THE MAJOR  LEAGUE LEVEL.
IT COULD BECOME  A SCOUT COMING UMPIRE IN THE  FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE IN THE  FIRST TO GRADUATE COLLEGE.
WANT TO PLAY FOR THE CUBS.
>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, BLACK  VOICES, I'M JOINED HERNANDEZ.
>> SEEMED A LITTLE DIVIDED ON  WHO THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY FOR.
GRANDERSON SAYS ALL CAMPS IN  TRAINING OR MID TO BE  AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR  FAMILIES.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO