VERO BEACH, Fla. — Over the years, the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach has hosted some of the biggest events in baseball.
At this weekend's annual Andre Dawson Classic, seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) baseball teams were facing off in a round-robin tournament, with all the games on national television. Joining the tournament this year also is University of Missouri.
WATCH: What these teams say about playing against each other in Vero Beach
"You don't get to see a lot of these guys because the games aren't on TV," Florida A&M University (FAMU) shortstop Jalen Niles said. "So (a lot was) getting to talk to them, learn some of the processes, and see how they prepare for the game."
One of the players who stood out not only on paper but also on the diamond was Grambling State University's Aries Gardner, who's using the weekend as a scouting opportunity.
"It's a good thing for all teams just to get a little familiar with each other," Gardner said.
Winning 13-11 against Prairie View A&M, the Grambling Tigers hope to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship this year.
"Here at Grambling, we focus on playing ourselves," Gardner said. "We're not focused on the opponent. Even though we did win, there is a lot of stuff we have to work on."
FAMU Head Coach and Hall of Fame outfielder Jamey Shouppe said it is a great feeling to host the tournament. Andre Dawson played for FAMU and went on to be a Hall of Famer.
"It's a great feeling for us, especially to play a nationally televised game," Shouppe said. "You get to get the best of both worlds."
