For the first time since 1996, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is returning to Philadelphia, and leaders from Temple University, the Philadelphia Phillies, Major League Baseball and the City of Philadelphia sense a rare opportunity for the 2026 event to support and promote investment in baseball fields, youth sports programs and community well-being. 

Those stakeholders gathered at Annenberg Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 20, for Dialogue on the Diamond: A Continuing Conversation with the Phillies, MLB and North Philadelphia. The event featured panel discussions centered on youth sports and the legacy potential of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. 

“For North Philadelphia, this opportunity extends beyond the game itself,” said Deborah Cai, acting dean of the Klein College of Media and Communication. “It’s about how investment, programs and partnerships can expand access to youth sports, improve local facilities and create a sense of possibility for young people.” 

The event was organized and hosted by Klein’s Claire Smith Center for Sports Media and Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, two centers that were envisioned and created to elevate voices and issues in the community that historically have been overlooked by mainstream media.  

Wednesday’s event was inspired by Playing fields, not Killing Fields, an investigative reporting project launched in 2023 by the Klein centers and The Philadelphia Inquirer which examines the state of North Philadelphia’s recreational facilities and youth sports programs and their role in curbing violence. 

“When we originally planned that project, Claire (Smith) had talked about doing an event to bring the community and the Phillies together to talk about how we can help,” said Yvonne Latty, director of the Logan Center. “And with the All-Star Game coming to Philadelphia, there’s going to be money involved and it was a really good time to start a conversation.” 

Latty was instrumental in organizing the event alongside Temple faculty members Claire Smith, assistant professor of journalism and founding executive director of the Claire Smith Center, and John DiCarlo, co-director of the Claire Smith Center and managing director of student media at Klein. 

Panelists included former Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, former Phillies outfielder and current ESPN baseball analyst Doug Glanville, Phillies President Dave Dombrowski, Senior Vice President of Baseball Development for Major League Baseball Del Matthews, and Director of Youth Sports for Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Mike Barsotti. Smith and Linn Washington, professor of journalism at Klein, served as the evening’s moderators. 

Rollins, a member of the 2008 World Series Champions Phillies squad, received a warm welcome from attendees and spoke about the role he can play in supporting youth baseball. Shortly before being invited to the panel event, Rollins was driving through Philadelphia’s Mount Airy neighborhood when he noticed a desolate baseball diamond. 

“My heart broke a little bit, like man this is crazy, no one’s out here playing ball? I hope they know we care,” Rollins said. “I’ve always wanted to rehab a ballpark, but I’ve never had that urge where it was a yearning, like I need to do this. I need to get involved somehow, some way.” 

Smith reached out to Rollins two days later to invite him to participate in Dialogue on the Diamond, to which Rollins enthusiastically agreed.  

“I’m glad you called, because we have the Phillies here, and I’m going to stay on you guys about getting me involved in that ballpark,” Rollins said. “That’s part of my role. That’s the reason why I’m here.” 

Jimmy Rollins also used Wednesday's event to build excitement for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. (Photography by Joseph V. Labolito)

Glanville, who attended the University of Pennsylvania before joining the Phillies in 1998, spoke about baseball’s unique ability to promote community and mentorship.  

“Baseball is such a great sport for paying it forward and mentorship. It’s really baked into the game, because you’re getting after it every single day. I think that spirit in baseball can be shared with and accentuated by the community,” said Glanville, who is one of just five African American Ivy league graduates to play in the major leagues.  

“I mean, think about a game that had Jackie Robinson in it, right? You can transform anything. And everyone has a voice. It doesn’t matter if you can play or not. It’s about much more than what happens between those white lines,” he added. 

More than 100 attendees packed into the Annenberg Atrium for the event. But in a room of Philadelphia baseball legends, Latty said it was the local coaches and youth program directors who left a lasting impact. 

“The real stars of the night were the community members who came out,” Latty said. “Specifically, the people involved in Little League Baseball, community baseball, the people who are working with young people and trying to give them something to do and give them a path to a better life. To me, those were the stars.”