American Legion BaseballWorld War I and World War IIAmerican Legion Baseball has done more for the Youth of America than any organized Sport.American Legion Baseball provided the youth of America one of the greatest venues of organized sports this country has ever known. The Legion ranks as the largest war serving veterans organization in the United States. Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.
Military Veterans of World War I recognized the value of instilling the winning tradition of our great country and what better way than to capture the pride of victory in our youth. It's program of youth activities works to build American ideals. Thus Legion Baseball captured this moment in history and provided us with the opportunity to learn the rules for baseball and other valuable lessons of growing up. World War II era took the initiative generated by the military veterans of the preceding World War I "dough boys" and captured the hearts and minds of the baseball playing world. The American Legion Baseball programs across our Nation symbolized all which was great about our Home Country. The ideals of sportsmanship and pride of victory was the heart and soul of American Legion Baseball. The American Legion sponsors of junior baseball leagues in all parts of the United States taught us more than how to play baseball. We, that is all boys who played American Legion Baseball, were young men willing to play the game in good sportsmanship fashion which stood us in good company to becoming good citizens. Well before the advent of Little League, Pony League, or Babe Ruth Leagues. the American Legion had sponsored and supported the playing of Baseball by young players across America. Every summer all the sandlot diamonds for baseball playing was filled with young teenagers enjoying baseball because of the Legion. After World War I and formation of The American Legion and especially following the Great Depression, the American game of baseball, supported by the American Legion became a beacon for American sport activity through out this Country. Baseball history must include the summertime baseball memories of all those young boys growing into early manhood on those dusty diamonds of American Legion Baseball.
Organized baseball was being played throughout America. Sponsorship and direction for the young boys and girls to be part of this game of baseball was very limited until the American Legion Baseball took up the supporting cause. Although most towns and villages had their make-shift and cobbled put together teams, most of the youth was unorganized play. The junior high school aged youngsters were the forgotten lot but American Legion baseball fostered and sponsored teams now recognized worldwide. I was a product of the American Legion baseball heyday era and my fondest memories are the experience and camaraderie that those years provided.
My characterization of the American Legion Baseball has done more for the youth of America prior to Little League than any other organized baseball support since and beginning in the early 1950's. The baseball sixth graders had their day of awakening while the boys on the American Legion teams had their coming of age and growing up years.
Remember you have been told about the scarcity of playing equipment we experienced during the late forties and early fifties. Our baseball hitting was not practiced using bats we now see on the playing fields. Most American Legion baseball players played the game with hand me down gloves passed along from an older brother or Uncle. The growing up age found many of us being a little discerning on the type of bat we really wanted. The use of any bat was OK until we got a taste of how a difference it felt holding a bat with a slim or slender handled gripping area. The bat certainly felt more comfortable being able to wrap our growing fingers around and get a firm grip instead of that golly whopper of a big handle bat we may have had to use. American Legion baseball playing taught us well and let us become more enlightened about baseball and life while in the process we were growing up and becoming better citizens for it. I am still old school and remember that American Legion Baseball provided the framework and support of organization but honestly, the teams were really team player action. Organized adult supervision was minimal. We basically coached ourselves and made do as independent boys playing against other teams of players within the framework or aegis of American Legion sponsorship. To the best of my recollection, the criteria was to have some Legion Post in the area agree to sponsor and enter your team into a playing league. I think we had to have an adult act as our team sponsor or coach but this was for allowing our team to be recognized and be put into a league. I believe as best as I remember one of our dads was chosen to do us this favor. Most all of our dads had jobs that kept them pretty much occupied so we played fair and did our own thing and never caused any embarrassment for this act of sponsorship. Yes, it was organized but each teams players did its own organizing.
From what I have just described, you can conclude my sentiments of how I might feel about structured organized youth teams. I personally think over supervised structured organized teams deprive youngsters of an opportunity to develop and mature as individuals, in a competitive world. The simple act of being chosen or not chosen by an authoritative leader not of the team players' choice. Players on a team know which player should play to win or not to play. I feel this capability and positive leadership development is being negated in large measure.
I vividly recall one umpire, who while calling one of our games, realized we only had two bats available for our team. I'll make a long story short. The Umpire was Tom Banks Sr., the coach for Birmingham's John Carroll Catholic High School. He liked our hustle and attitude so he told us to come by John Carroll High School for he had a few old bats we could have. You show me kids today living that kind of experience and I will show you a rarity indeed. The most wonderful things about those ball playing days and memories were the people we knew at the time and competed against. These are now only memories. There was no formal rosters nor wide spread schedule announcements. A league playing schedule was available to each team and that was all that was needed for we would be there and ready. We seldom became close acquaintances, but simply knew faces, and recognized jam up good players in our competition but most of the names are now only fading rememberances. Many of the players we competed against in American Legion Baseball we also faced during our high school playing schedule. I can recall especially Irondale's American Legion team had several standout players that were the mainstays on the Shades Valley High School teams. Bobby Smoke and Bill Panter were hitters that could and did win many a game for both Shades Valley High and the Irondale American Legion teams. These are the kind of people we met and respected in our young baseball playing contests. Give no quarter and ask no quarter let the better playing team win. A Loss simply meant we will get you next time. What could be better for life's training than this sport of Baseball. Playing the game of baseball as a youngster brings back memories of the days on the playing diamonds such as the present day UAB Blazer Baseball Park. American Legion ball players played many a game at the site which is now UAB Blazer Baseball Park. Americans straight forward joined into the breech of action to preserve freedom for freedom loving countries around the globe. Our Countrymen during World War I and again during World War II was the genesis of the American Legion Baseball Foundation. There could have been no better way for the youth of America to share in and foster this Pride Of Victory than the batter up let's play ball of American Legion Baseball. Playing American Legion Baseball young men of our country pay the price of victory by practicing. Our World War Veterans paid the price of having to witness the men in their unit pay the ultimate price for victory.
Thanks American Legion--- You helped many a young ball player become a better Citizen. Your Ideals live on... I am proud to be a member of an American Legion Post. My membership is with: Berry Post 136-----------Berry, Alabama Post Adjutant P.O. Box 151 Berry,Al 35546 Tel: (205)-689-8500 We are are going back in baseball history when we talk my baseball playing days so check out some more of the baseball history before you leave click on Baseball History. Where is my batter? Click here at American Legion Baseball and go check out all the World Series Winners. Batter Up----Let's Play Ball.... Return to BaseballFarming our home page which is an introduction to the concept of baseball farming which includes ideas on strategies, training, and winning Get business smarter do not let the opportunity you have available, if you own a business, slip away without expanding the scope and volume of your business. Use the internet to take you to that next level. Professional Affordable Help From Sitesell To Build Your World Class Winning Website
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