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By Daja E. Henry<\/a>, Ila Wilborn<\/a> |The Atlanta Voice<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Over 38,000 people watched from the stands Sunday in Washington D.C.\u2019s Nationals Park as Tuskegee University pitcher Christian Marshall stepped up to the plate to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the 2018 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Elgin Woodside, a catcher for Tuskegee\u2019s baseball team, assisted. Although the two were not yet prospects for the \u201cMajors,\u201d they both have a stake in the future of baseball.<\/p>\n \u201cGrowing up as kids, playing baseball, everyone has that dream of going to the [pros],\u201d Marshall said, as he explained the feeling of pitching in a game with Minor League Baseball\u2019s top prospects.<\/p>\n Woodside added: \u201cEven though we never thought that moment would come to us, whenever we got in the moment, it didn\u2019t feel like we were out of place. It felt like we were meant to be there, and all our hard work was paying off and God just gave us our blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n As a part of the Major League Baseball\u2019s All-Star Week, the 2018 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game is meant to shine a spotlight on budding baseball stars. At the 20-year mark, the exhibition game \u201cfeatures the top Minor League prospects competing in a nine-inning contest as part of All-Star Sunday,\u201d according to the league\u2019s official website.<\/p>\n Marshall and Woodside are pitcher and catcher of Tuskegee University\u2019s SIAC baseball team. The two bonded over baseball, however, long before they entered Tuskegee, in their hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana; both participated in the New Orleans MLB Urban Youth Academy.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of kids [in New Orleans] don\u2019t get the opportunities we got,\u201d Marshall said.<\/p>\n From 2005 up until June 2018, Louisiana was deemed the incarceration capital of the world. According to EdWeek, the state ranks 46th in K-12 achievement. Orleans Parish itself was named the most murderous county in 2017. Marshall and Woodside were determined not to become a part of those statistics.<\/p>\n The two are beginning their senior year at Tuskegee, both studying mechanical engineering. Marshall is interning this summer, testing parts for NASA in Pasadena, Calif. Woodside is assessing aerodynamics at Lockheed Martin in Stamford, Conn.<\/p>\n The two student athletes do not have much idle time.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the fall, even though we\u2019re not in season, we\u2019re still practicing,\u201d Marshall said as he described their daily schedules that begin with workouts as early as 5 A.M. The rigorous coursework and hectic baseball schedules keep the two utilizing the creative work ethic they acquired back home at the MLB Youth Academy.<\/p>\n Though they have a lot on their plate, there is a driving force pushing them to reach for further success.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever you get tired, you\u2019ve got to have something in the back of your mind that you can tap into,\u201d Woodside said. \u201cThe things that I\u2019m doing, it\u2019s a reflection of me, but it\u2019s also a reflection of something bigger.\u201d Woodside explained how he is building a future that will make his entire and future family proud.<\/p>\n Marshall and Woodside exist in a rare intersection for young, Black men. As of 2017, the MLB reported 7.7 percent African American or African Canadian players. According to 2010 Census data, African American men made up just 3 percent of scientists and engineers working in the field. Their very existence in this intersection is a statement of triumph over the lack of access to vital resources that often plagues young Blacks.<\/p>\n While many African Americans get into basketball and football, it\u2019s just not as easy to get into baseball. The lack of equipment, facilities and role models make it difficult for young, Black men to expose themselves to the sport. While in football and basketball, children can just pick up a ball and practice, baseball requires highly, specialized equipment like gloves, bats and balls, which puts children from low-income families at a disadvantage.<\/p>\n Exposure is the main factor that separates Marshall and Woodside from their counterparts. Marshall\u2019s mother exposed him to baseball around six years-old. Woodside\u2019s father put him into tee-ball at three years-old. While participating in the Urban Youth Academy, they both gained a baseball role model in Eddie Davis, a Black resident of New Orleans, who played minor league baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019 system.<\/p>\n Both expressed a level of difficulty finding mentors in engineering, as well. At times, they feel as if they are under a microscope. However, they remain humble, consistent and determined to overcome those obstacles.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowledge is power. If you can get more knowledge and just learn how things operate, then I feel like that\u2019ll be the key to overcoming any type of adversity there is at your workplace or in your life,\u201d Marshall said.<\/p>\n Their mechanical engineering playbook includes asking a lot of questions, staying engaged and setting up lunch meetings to learn from people, who are in the positions they want to be in.<\/p>\n Tuskegee has been instrumental in creating a networking pipeline and served as a beneficial aspect of Woodside\u2019s life, since he first began attending the university.<\/p>\n \u201cIt just felt like everybody was one big family,\u201d Woodside said.<\/p>\n With just under 3,000 students enrolled in 2017, Tuskegee has the opportunity to provide its students with a close-knit atmosphere.<\/p>\n \u201cIt [isn\u2019t] a big school, so you know you\u2019re going to make connections that can last a lifetime,\u201d Woodside said.<\/p>\n The teammates rely on their lifetime connection to help win games.<\/p>\n \u201cThe closeness that we have is like unspoken communication,\u201d Marshall said. \u201cEvery game that I\u2019ve pitched really well, he\u2019s been the one catching for me the whole time.\u201d<\/p>\n Woodside expressed equal admiration for Marshall.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for Christian Marshall, Elgin Woodside would not be the person that he is today,\u201d Woodside said. \u201cChristian was always there to pick me up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019m on the mound and he\u2019s on the plate, especially when we catch our groove, it feels like we\u2019re unstoppable\u2026almost.\u201d Marshall said as he explained the natural chemistry that is critical in the makings of a great team.<\/p>\n Marshall continued: \u201cWe made the most of what we had at Tuskegee and I feel we made a major impact because of the mentality we brought into the program.\u201d<\/p>\n