SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and players with the South Bend Cubs played catch with participants of the Boys & Girls Club of St. Joseph County summer program as part of the national Play Ball initiative.

Mascots Stu and Swoop also participated in the event Monday morning.

Mayor Buttigieg says it was a great way for him and the players to engage with the community.

"It's fun. It's fun to see the kids having a good time. It's fun to get the Cubs more involved too. They really work hard at the Cubs on community engagement but don't always have opportunities like this where the players can meet kids from the community. I think everybody benefits when we do this," Mayor Buttigieg said.

The Play Ball initiative was launched by Major League Baseball and the United States Conference of Mayors in 2015. It encourages youth to participate in baseball and softball and promotes healthy lifestyles.