“This Is My City”: How Anthony Volpe Is Quietly Giving Back to the Kids of Little Italy
By [Your Name] — The Athletic / ESPN style feature
On most days, Anthony Volpe is exactly where you’d expect him to be — anchoring the Yankees infield, turning slick double plays, and quietly becoming one of the most beloved young faces in the Bronx. But when the bright lights fade and the postgame interviews wrap up, Volpe’s thoughts don’t drift toward endorsements or nightlife. Instead, they wander just a few subway stops south, toward a corner of Manhattan he still calls home.
Little Italy.
It’s where his grandfather once walked to school. It’s where his family gathered every Sunday for pasta and laughter. And now, it’s where Anthony Volpe is preparing to give something back — quietly, without a press release or a camera crew — to the kids growing up in the same streets he knows so well.
Sources close to the Yankees shortstop have confirmed that Volpe is in the final stages of organizing a free baseball clinic for underprivileged children in Little Italy. The idea is simple, heartfelt, and entirely Volpe: give these kids a glove, a bat, a field, and the belief that they belong — not just in baseball, but in life.
“This is my city,” Volpe reportedly told a friend. “And these kids… they deserve a shot. Just like I had.”
A Quiet Plan, Years in the Making
Volpe has never sought attention for his off-field work. While other athletes hire PR teams to amplify every charitable effort, Volpe has always believed that the most meaningful gestures are done away from the spotlight.
Over the past year, he’s quietly met with local youth leaders in the Lower Manhattan area. He’s listened — to stories of kids who can’t afford a glove, who share one bat between 12 players, who dream big but feel small. And he’s acted.
With the help of a few trusted Yankees staffers and a local nonprofit that serves inner-city youth, Volpe has secured a small field just blocks from Mulberry Street. The plan? To host weekly clinics — led by him, on his off days — starting this fall. Each session will include equipment, coaching, and mentorship. No kid will pay a dime.
And no kid will be turned away.
Why It Matters — To Volpe, and to New York
For Volpe, this isn’t just community service. It’s personal.
Though he grew up in Watchung, New Jersey, Volpe’s ties to New York City — especially Little Italy — run deep. His grandparents were Italian immigrants. His father grew up visiting the neighborhood’s bakeries and barber shops. And Anthony, even as a rising Yankees prospect, would sneak into town on off-days just to walk those same streets.
In many ways, the city made him. Now, he’s returning the favor.
“He remembers what it felt like to be that kid,” said one close family friend. “Not the top-ranked prospect. Not the Yankee. Just a kid with a dream, and a glove that didn’t quite fit.”
In today’s sports world, where some stars are more brand than person, Volpe stands apart. He’s not just a player. He’s a presence — quiet, steady, deeply rooted.
This project reflects that. It’s not flashy. There’s no corporate sponsor (yet). No film crew following him around. Just kids. Dirt. Leather. Hope.
And a 23-year-old shortstop who knows exactly where he came from.
The Bronx, the Big League, and the Bigger Picture
Volpe’s rookie season wasn’t just a baseball story — it was a New York story. The local kid makes the Yankees. The smooth fielding, the clutch hits, the humility. Fans saw in him a reminder of what the game used to be — and what it still can be.
This new effort is an extension of that same spirit. It’s not about headlines or MVP awards. It’s about the kind of legacy that doesn’t show up on the back of a baseball card.
“I don’t need credit,” Volpe reportedly said. “If one of these kids keeps playing because of this, or believes in themselves a little more — that’s the win.”
What Happens Next
Volpe is expected to make a formal announcement later this summer, but those close to the initiative say the first clinic could be held as early as September. Equipment donations are already arriving. Former players have offered to volunteer. Even a few Yankees teammates have expressed interest in joining.
But at the heart of it all is Volpe. Still 23. Still learning. Still swinging. But already giving in a way that transcends baseball.
The field in Little Italy won’t hold 50,000 fans. There won’t be walk-off home runs or thunderous applause. Just a group of kids who’ve been told “no” too many times — and one young man quietly showing them that sometimes, “yes” is still possible.
Because this isn’t just a good deed.
This is his city.