Capturing America's favorite pastime for charity

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Photographer Ray Whitehouse, 24, is on a mission: He's traveling America this summer capturing every Major League Baseball stadium, and he's doing it for charity.

"I love baseball. I love travel. I love photography, so this is a great marriage of the three," says Whitehouse.

He's in Houston at Minute Maid Park documenting what makes the home to the Astros both similar and different to other stadiums.

"Baseball is a sport that can bring all economic and social classes together and unite them towards that field."

Whitehouse discovered some unique features of Minute Maid Park.

"One is Tal's Hill in centerfield. It's an upward sloping hill which is unique to major league baseball now. It's based off one of the old parks in Detroit. It has a 30 degree sloping hill, and there's actually a flag pole that's in play," he says.

He also thinks the retractable roof is an interesting aspect.

"It is actually very energy efficient. It actually only takes $5 in energy costs to close and open the roof."

Last, ever wonder about the meaning behind the train at Minute Maid? Whitehouse adds, "The train goes back and forth every time there's a homerun or when the Astros win, and that's pretty cool because it connects the history of Houston to the ballpark. This used to be the transportation hub of all the trains that came through Houston."

The photos he takes are for sale on his website at www.AmericanBaseballJournal.com and proceeds go to a charity close to home for Whitehouse.

"When I was 15, I played in a baseball league through major league baseball. It was called RBI - which stands for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities. In that league, we made it to the championship game, and that game was at Wrigley Field. ... Now, with this trip, I'm hoping to sell prints from the games, and any profits from those prints will go straight to RBI."