AUTOGRAPHS

Dixie Youth Baseball game

Dixie Youth Baseball was originated in the year 1955 in South Carolina. Sixty-one all-white teams held their own tournaments after breaking away from Little League organization of Pennsylvania. The very idea of forming up an organization for pre-teens to play baseball was thus put into action and Little Boys Baseball, Inc. saw the light of the day.  In 1962, it was renamed Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc..

Initially, 12 leagues and 537 teams were associated with the formation of this sporting body. However, with the passage of time, it has become the second largest youth baseball programme for pre-teens under the age of 12 years. Although initially it was an exclusive tournament now they have shed all the racial restrictions and welcome players of any ethnicity, race or color. Among the outstanding players who had participated in the programme, names of Reggie Sanders, Michael Jordan and Bo Jackson stand out sharply.

Today, Dixie Youth Baseball boasts of hundreds of leagues in eleven Southern states.  The extraordinary growth of Dixie Youth Baseball leagues can be put down to the fact that Dixie Youth Baseball really cares for the welfare of the youngsters.  It believes that a properly supervised baseball programme is instrumental in preparing a child for future challenges in life.

A National Board of Directors, elected by the affiliated leagues, governs the Dixie Youth Baseball. Diagonally opposed to similar organizations, the officials from the local level to the top at the Dixie Youth Baseball do not receive any emoluments for their services. All of them are volunteers who are quite conversant with the needs of the pre-teens.

Dixie Youth Baseball has some basic rules.  Team restriction is a maximum of fifteen players with no more than eight 12 year-old participants. Four, five or six teams make up leagues. A maximum of 25 and a minimum of 15 games per season are permitted to be played by the affiliated leagues. Those who complete their 13th birthday on or after August 1 are eligible to take part. .

One of the striking features of the Dixie Youth Baseball is the sponsoring of educational scholarships for former players. Prospective applicants, preferably seniors in high school, should be former players with a high degree of recommendation and are expected to provide evidence to prove the need for such assistance.  This programme is facilitated by the availability of excess funds from membership fees and other revenue.

Reggie Jackson Boston College Highlights