American Legion Baseball is a national institution, having thrived through a world war, several national tragedies, and times of great prosperity as well as great despair.

 

     The league still stands behind the traditional values upon which it was founded in 1925. American Legion Baseball has taught hundreds of thousands of young Americans the importance of sportsmanship, good health and active citizenship. The program is also a promoter of equality, making teammates out of young athletes regardless of their income levels or social standings. American Legion Baseball has been, and continues to be, a stepping stone to manhood for millions of young men who have gone on to serve their country or community, raise families or play the sport at the highest level.

 

     For 60 years, two towns were known for their baseball finals. Williamsport PA, and Omaha NE have been the respective homes of the little League and college world series.  A little known fact is that this season (2012), marked the 85th anniversary of the American Legion world series. This year also marked the naming of Shelby North Carolina as the permanent home of the American Legion World Series. 

 

     The town of Shelby North Carolina boasts a volunteer base of slighty over 700 workers. In 2011, according to retiring national program coordinator, Jim Quinlin, Shelby sold some 5,300 tournament passes prior to the world series and shattered the previous attendance record with more than 86,000 fans. Advance ticket sales in 2012 were reported at slightly over 7,200.* Ticket sales for 2012 were projected to be close to 100,000.

 

Even ESPN has become a fan, this year (2012), broadcasting the games on ESPN3.

 

Starting with the 2014 ALWS, the championship game will be televised live by ESPNU. The last time a Legion World Series championship game was live on TV was 35 years ago in Greenville, Miss.

 

"The extended contract (with ESPN) to televise the championship game of the World Series is testimony of the perseverance and commitment of all involved to maintain our reputation as one of the most successful and tradition rich amateur baseball programs in the world," said Richard Anderson, chairman of the Legion's National Americanism Commission. "On behalf of the Americanism Commission, it is with deep gratitude that we extend our congratulations to Eddie Holbrook (co-chairman of Shelby's Baseball World Series Committee), the committee, all the volunteers and the city of Shelby for their due diligence and successful achievement of affiliating with ESPN".

 

All games leading up to the championship event will still be live streamed on ESPN3. And to accommodate the championship game TV coverage, the ALWS tournament schedule is changing from a double elimination format to pool play.

 

     This site is designed to publish the accomplishments of the young men that have passed through our system, and to keep track of those who have moved up into the collegiate and pro ranks.

 

 

* From an article written by sports writer, Carl Hennell for the American Legion Baseball "World Series Journal".