American Legion Baseball is a program of The American Legion, a nonprofit organization chartered in 1919 by the U.S. Congress as a veterans organization. The American Legion operates several national youth programs to provide recreation, mentoring and character development. American Legion Baseball's long history as a national institution began in 1925 as an effort to expand the organization's community service work.
Origins
In 1925, a Western Conference collegiate commissioner used his speech at an American Legion state convention to talk about the benefits of athletics for youth fitness and character development. The Legionnaires assembled in South Dakota passed a resolution that led to the creation of a national program of local youth baseball leagues for boys. The summer baseball program created local leagues and a schedule of play that included local championships, tournaments and a world series to be held annually at The American Legion national convention. The American Legion Baseball program was the first to provide a national baseball tournament for youth.
Growth
In 1926, American Legion posts in 15 states joined the American Legion Baseball league and sponsored teams. The new teams played at state and regional tournaments, leading to a national championship. By 1929, the league had teams in every state and the District of Columbia. The league has undergone few changes to its game schedules since its start. The league plays 64 teams at eight regional sites. Eight teams go to the league's world series. The league gives the winning team a trip to the Major League Baseball World Series.
Struggle
Dwindling funds caused the American Legion Baseball league to cancel its world series in 1927. Major League Baseball stepped in and provided the funds for the youth league to resume its world series in 1928 and stay afloat. Many local teams continued to struggle financially. The Depression caused Major League Baseball to stop its financial support in 1933 and the American Legion Baseball league again fell on hard times. The league raised funds from seven newspaper publishers to keep its program going. Major League Baseball resumed its funding in 1935.
Impact
In 2011, the American Legion Baseball program reported more than 5,400 teams. The league has players in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Each year, nearly 100,000 young people participate in the baseball program. The youth, 15 to 19 years old, compete for awards and college scholarships. The American Legion Baseball program reaches youth from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. Of the 10 million players in the league's past, many have gone on to play professional baseball. More than 50 Legion league alumni are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
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