TAMPA, Florida — It wasn't enough to just see a game at every Major League Baseball stadium once he retires – instead, one Tampa man wants to bring along local kids in each city he travels to this summer.
Steve Shear has lived in Tampa all his life. His family has lived in the area since 1924. If you're familiar, Shear worked at and then owned Levy Awards on Kennedy Boulevard for more than 20 years.
For 25 years, Shear coached youth baseball and softball. He also served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club for more than 30 years in addition to working with other youth organizations. It's safe to say Shear has a passion for baseball and helping youth children, his daughter, Laine Shear, told 10 Tampa Bay.
Knowing those two facts about Shear, it's led him to fulfill a lifelong dream of his and add in the company of some little strangers. This summer, Shear will begin fulfilling one of his goals of attending a game at every MLB stadium in one calendar year. He'll also be donating $1,000 worth of tickets for each game to local children's organizations like the Boys and Girls Club to bring out local kids in each city that may have never been to a professional baseball game before.
Since he began organizing the stadium tour, Shear has been talking with the MLB, and they're going to provide discounted tickets so that at least 100 kids can attend each game.
With this, Shear's donation could introduce 3,000 new young people to the game of baseball that he loves so much, his daughter says.
The tour kicks off right at home on May 3 in the Tampa Bay area at Tropicana Field for the Rays-Pirates matchup. One hundred tickets were donated to the Tampa Police Athletics League and the kids and their chaperones will be able to watch Randy Arozarena, Yandy Diaz and Wander Franco live in action.
Coincidentally, the last game of the tour ends Sept. 8, right back at Tropicana Field when the Rays take on the Mariners.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help buy the kids a hot dog and drink at the game. If you wish to donate, you can click here.