WHITE SOX STARS JIM AND THOME AND JOE CREDE SELECT INAUGURAL PAIRINGS

CHICAGO (July 1, 2008) - Chicago White Sox stars Jim Thome and Joe Crede joined representatives of eight youth baseball organizations--as well as a contingent from host city Memphis, Tennessee--at U.S. Cellular Field Tuesday to conduct the seeding draw for the inaugural "National Youth Baseball Championships" tournament.

The four-day tournament will be played at Gameday Baseball's First Tennessee Fields in Memphis from August 21-24 and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which include more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight different age groups.

The "National Youth Baseball Championships" will be the initial effort of the "Major Youth Baseball Alliance, LLC." The MYBA is a newly formed company comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), Pony Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association).

In a home-plate ceremony, Sox third baseman Joe Crede pitched in to draw the names of the participating organizations for placement in the 10-under division's two pools while first baseman/DH Jim Thome did the honors for the 12-under division. Young players from those organizations assisted the players by randomly selecting each organization's position in the tournament's two pools.

"This is really a great day for youth baseball," said Eddie Einhorn, Interim Executive Director of the Major Youth Baseball Alliance and Vice Chairman of the White Sox. "To have these two great players, both alumni of long-established youth baseball organizations, participate in our first-ever tournament draw is truly an honor."

10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

(Drawn by Joe Crede, Chicago White Sox)
POOL A

1. SUPER SERIES
2. NABF
3. AABC
4. AAU

POOL B

1. USSSA
2. DIXIE
3. PONY
4. BABE RUTH

12-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

(Drawn by Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox)
POOL A

1. SUPER SERIES
2. PONY
3. AAU
4. BABE RUTH

POOL B

1. NABF
2. USSSA
3. AABC
4. DIXIE