Their experiences not only fueled a lifelong love of baseball but also helped lead them to careers in law enforcement. Today, both serve on the Philadelphia police force and play for the Philadelphia Police Blue Sox, a travel team comprised of local officers.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, PAL was forced to disband multiple sports programs, including baseball.
But on Friday, PAL and the Blue Sox partnered to host a baseball event for kids at the Francisville Rec Center — a hopeful first step in bringing America’s pastime back into the PAL fold.
“The joy and the passion that baseball gives me, I can't even put it in words,” Stephan said. “So seeing some of the looks on the kids' faces — you're over here showing them little, simple drills in the infield, and just them smiling and having fun — it means a tremendous amount. I think every kid deserves that, and it's fantastic. It's just a great opportunity.”
Founded in 1947, PAL has operated on the mission of “cops helping kids” for more than 75 years. The organization pairs officers with children through mentorship, academic support, and athletics. Today, there are 15 PAL centers across Philadelphia and three school-based sites.
Baseball was once a cornerstone of the PAL experience — until the pandemic forced the shutdown of multiple centers, pushing the sport to the sidelines. Though PAL continued to offer other programs, the desire to bring baseball back never waned.
“I think baseball is a really core, fundamental sport and almost everybody knows it in America,” said PAL Executive Director Erica Vanstone. “I think what's also critical is that we're making sure that we're opening up opportunities for girls as well. So it's not even just necessarily about baseball, but it's making sure that it is representative from all of the corners of the city. I think establishing the ability to do that is really helpful.”
The recent clinic — hosted in partnership with the Philly PD’s travel team, the Blue Sox — ran three hours and welcomed kids of all experience levels. Officers and players led drills on hitting, fielding, and situational play, capping the day with a scrimmage. Not a single kid left without a smile.
“Obviously, we don't know what their experience level is going into it, but we assume some kids may have experience,” said Blue Sox general manager Billy Killian. “Some may have never touched a baseball. But if you're not given the opportunity, you never know what your potential is. If they're never introduced to the game, then how do you know? We could have the next Tony Gwynn or Bryce Harper here.”
“To be able to give back from what I experienced growing up and try and recapture the greatest game ever invented — it’s a blessing, it’s an honor,” added Blue Sox manager George Higginson. “I can't be more thankful to do it.”
For Arroyo and Stephan, the day was deeply personal. Once PAL kids themselves, they now find themselves on the other side — wearing badges and cleats, teaching the game that shaped them.
“Looking at these kids now, I wore the same white hat, blue shirt — the same outfit,” Arroyo said. “Now I'm getting to see it from the opposite side. It's just pretty cool, because now it's kind of showing these kids that there's more than just police officers and more than just police work.”
Whether baseball fully returns to PAL remains to be seen. But Friday’s clinic felt like more than just a one-off event — it felt like a foundation.
“I think this is a good stepping stone for them,” Killian said. “Hopefully, their upper management was here to watch it and witness the smiles on the kids' faces. Then our correspondence with them as well — it’s not only the kids getting something out of this, it’s us too. Baseball is our nation's pastime, and I think it should be available for anybody who's interested in playing.”
Philly baseball deserves more.
That’s why we built this. Now help us build what comes next.
👉 Join us on Patreon »