 |
© Copyright 2002
Wisconsin Rapids Legion Baseball
All Rights Reserved
|
|
|
|
|
- The American Legion is committed to America's youth and
that is why we have sponsored American Legion Baseball since
1925. The goals of American Legion Baseball are the development
of team discipline, individual character and leadership
development qualities in young people.
- American Legion Baseball is the oldest and largest, nationwide,
baseball program in America. American Legion Baseball became
a National program in 1925. Over eight million teenagers
have played American Legion Baseball since its inception
in 1926. The first National Championship tournaments began
in 1926.In 1997, 4,952 teams were registered for National
tournament play.
- Over 95,000 players, ages 15 to 18, participated in 2001.
Since 1985, over 1,700 new teams have registered to play
American Legion Baseball. Local American Legion Posts also
support and sponsor some 2,500 younger-age teams who are
registered with Little League, Babe Ruth, Pony, Dixie as
well as many other youth sports teams such as soccer, bowling,
hockey, etc.
- On an average, 65% of Major League Baseball players played
American Legion Baseball as a teenager.Nearly 75% of all
college players played American Legion Baseball as a teenager.
- Since 1926, Major League Baseball has honored The American
Legion World Series Champions at the Major League World
Series. The Commissioner's Office annually presents a plaque
to The American Legion champions on the field at The Major
League World Series. The 2001 National Championship team,
from Brooklawn, NJ attended the MLWS in New York and was
presented the Commissioner's Award by Frank Robinson, Vice
President of Major League Baseball and Sandy Alderson, Vice
President of Major League Baseball. Both played American
Legion Baseball and Mr. Robinson's Oakland, CA Legion Team
won the 1949 & 1950 American Legion World Series.
- The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum honors
the American Legion Player of the Year with a plaque at
the annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.
The 2001 American Legion Player of the Year, Jay Threet
from Adrian, Michigan will be honored at the 2002 Hall of
Fame game.
- The American Legion National Headquarters spends approximately
$1 million dollars annually to operate and host 64 teams
that qualify for the National Tournament. Each year, 1,280
players and coaches on 64 teams compete at eight Regional
Tournaments.
- The American Legion is the only amateur youth baseball
program that funds 100 percent of the cost for hotels, transportation,
meals, umpires and baseballs for our National tournaments.
- Across the country, The American Legion's 2.8 million
members have been, and remain committed to, this nation's
youth. Our records confirm that 14,000 local Posts of The
American Legion raised more than $48 million last year to
conduct programs for young people in the respective communities,
an impressive amount that pales by comparison to the time,
talent and effort given by our volunteers to the young people
of America. American Legion Baseball is just one of several
major youth programs sponsored by The American Legion as
an investment in America's young people. The American Legion
sponsors American Legion Boys State and Boys Nation programs,
which teaches government to 30,000 high school juniors each
year. The American Legion also sponsors more than 2,500
Boy Scout Troops, which helps over 77,000 youngsters develop
leadership skills through Scouting. The American Legion
High School Oratorical Contest encourages young men and
women to learn about our Constitution. Students test their
speaking ability in contests that provide $138,000 in scholarship
moneys each year. The American Legion Junior Shooting Sports
Program teaches young men and women about gun safety and
starts them on a path of air rifle competition that can
lead to an Olympic Gold Medal. The latest American Legion
scholarship program is the Samsung/American Legion Academic
Excellence Program in which 90 students will be awarded
a $1,500 scholarship and the top twelve students will each
receive a $20,000 scholarship in 2002.
|
|
|
|
