Coaches and Managers: Here is the link to the website to complete the background checks for your teams registration, the link will be connected to the national registration site — https://opportunities.averity.com/TXAmericanLeg
HOW TO REGISTER A TEAM
Visit – baseball.legion.org
Additional resources (rulebooks, forms, scholarship applications) – www.legion.org/baseball/resources
WHO WE ARE
Anyone who really knows baseball, especially the old pros, will tell you, “Baseball is a game of character.”
Anyone who truly knows amateur teenage baseball, especially the college coaches and pro scouts, will tell you that American Legion Baseball remains the best program in the country. Why? Not only is it the oldest, largest and most competitive teenage baseball program, but its primary purpose is to build character in young men.
Does it achieve its purpose? Indeed it does, better than any other program. Character has been built in over 10 million young men who have played American Legion Baseball.
Over 55 former Legion players have been inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, far more inductees than any other youth baseball program.
Nearly 75 percent of current college players are graduates of the Legion Baseball program. More than half of current major-leaguers played Legion Baseball. So did almost every working Major League Baseball manager, along with several former MLB commissioners.
American Legion Baseball is the only youth baseball program that pays for travel, lodging and meals at the State, Regional and World Series tournaments.
In the 88 year history of American Legion Baseball, League City Post 554 became the First Texas Team to win the American Legion Baseball World Series in 2023.
Learn more about American Legion Baseball by visiting the American Legion Baseball national web site at www.legion.org/baseball
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE DEPARTMENT 2024 SEASON:
| Jan 1 | Online Registration Opens |
| Jan 1 | Coaches, Managers Background Checks and Abuse Awareness Certificate needs to be submitted. |
| Mar 31 | Establishment of players legal domicile & school |
| Before May 15 | All Coaches, Managers, Staff and Volunteers and Team Players 18 years old to 19 years old must complete Background Checks and Abuse Awareness Certificate, also registration and insurance fees should be paid. |
| May 30 | DEADLINE for Team registration, including payment of registration fee and insurance. ($200.00 late fee after May 15th) |
| Before June 1 | Coaches, Managers, Staff and all Volunteers and Team Players 18 to 19 years of age must be approved. If application was submitted by May 30 and it has not been approved call Department. |
| June 1 | LAST DAY for team registration |
| June 23 | Deadline to submit official roster Form 1 to the National Office to be eligible for play. |
| July 15 | Applications for Baseball Scholarship must be received at Department Headquarters (Austin) by this date. |
The American Legion State Tournament will be held in League City, TX, July 23 – 28, 2024
8th Regional Tournament will be held in Fairfield, CA August 7-11, 2024
World Series will be held in Shelby NC August 15-20, 2024
The State Tournament and the National Tournaments are funded by The State or National
Download 4 Team Double Elimination Bracket (doc)
BASEBALL RULES for 2024 (pdf)
STARTING A TEAM
Tips for starting a team.
· All teams should have the objective of winning the World Series. The competition and teamwork to achieve this lofty goal is what builds character.
· Recruit players who are committed to playing on your Legion team, who share the objective of winning the World Series. If at any time a team has less than 9 players available to play during the playoffs, the team is disqualified from further play.
· Seven-inning games are played in the 8 team double elimination championship tournaments at the national level. Therefore, in order to win the Regional and World Series tournaments, the team must have a very deep pitching staff.
· Try to have the maximum 18 players on your team in order to maximize the number of youth we support through this great program.
· Try to maximize the number of games played by your team. There is no reason why a Legion baseball team can’t play in another league; however, once the Legion playoffs begin, the Legion team must be committed to playing in the Legion playoffs.
· It doesn’t have to cost the Post anything to sponsor a Legion baseball team. However, it is traditional that the sponsoring Post pay for the team registration fee and insurance, at least.
· Work with your coach to establish a budget, and together develop a plan for raising money to fund the team’s expenses. It is permissible for the players to contribute financially to the program. All contributions to the team via the Post are tax deductible.
· Baseball has many rules. Integrity in the program is maintained by strictly and fairly enforcing the rules. Therefore, read and know the rules. The National Rule Book and Department (State) Rule Book will be published after January 1.
· Start early. Start now.
· If you have any questions, feel free to ask your local Baseball Chairman.
CONTACTS
Department Baseball Chairman – Nathan Wolf, 801-949-2259, nathanwolf.tx@gmail.com
Department Baseball Committee members:
Baseball Director – Joey Bess, 304-881-4485, wjbess3@yahoo.com
Baseball Member – Jay W. Jernigan, 512-635-7341, jaywjernigan@gmail.com
Division Baseball Chairmen:
1st Division — Nathan Wolf, nathanwolf.tx@gmail.com
2nd Division — David Saucillo, dsaucillo@yahoo.com
3rd Division — Harold Sample, Harold.Sample90@gmail.com
4th Division — Robert Viden, 325-656-5619
STATE CHAMPIONS
SCHOLARSHIPS
WORLD SERIES
Watch game highlights, view statistics, and learn more about the World Series by visiting the American Legion Baseball national website.