Yogi Berra Touching Home at 1942 Regional Tournament in Hastings,

NE

We have Long history

of outstanding

play and players

Rollie Fingers “64” Player of the Year

Contact InformationAlways Contact

State Chairman or State Office First

baseball@legion.org

317-630-1369 fax

317-630-1249 National Office

American Legion Baseball 83 Years &

Growing1. Nationwide average of registered youth baseball

teams is down 31%.

2. American Legion average up 30% over past 15 years.

3. Most registered teams in past 60 years.

4. 1,900 NEW teams since 1986. 40,000 more players.

5. Only program invited annually to MLB World Series.

6. Player of the Year is only player invited to Hall of Fame.

7. 50% of pro’s Played Legion Baseball.

8. 72% of college players played Legion Baseball.

Key DatesJanuary 1 Bids for 2010 Regional Tournaments.

March 1 2009 Rulebook & forms distributed to Department Headquarters Offices.

March 31 Establishment of player’s legal domicile (parents’ domicile) and school enrollment.

April 15 File Plan “A” recruiting maps and explanation

April 15Mail (5) Five copies of Department rules. ( or Email single set)

May 1 Department Tournament dates & location must be filed with National Headquarters.

July 15 Department must file all National Registration Form #1.

August 1 Department Scholarship Winner forms due to National Office

August 1 Department Chairmen must Express Mail team photographs participating in Department Tournament to Regional Chairman.

August 2 Department Tournaments must be completed by 12:00 midnight.

Sept. 25, 26, 27 Fall Baseball Conference

Sponsoring a TeamGreat

Publicity for Post

Helps players earn scholarships

Builds Community

Pride

Program involves family

Provides great

entertainment for

members

Builds on teamwork, personal fitness

Builds Leadership

and confidence

Builds Community

Service

Network with other

organizations

Getting Help ?

State Office HS Athletic Officer

National Website

Department Officers

HS Principal NCAAWeb site

District Officers Other Coaches NAIA or JUCO Web site

National Office Other teams Other Department Chairmen

National Website Important Source of Information and Forms.

www.baseball.legion.org

SECURED AREA

KEY CONTACTS

Login: chairman Password: state

www.baseball.legion.org secured area

Login: chairman Password: state

Registered Teams can Promote their Invitational Tournament

DEPARTMENT BASEBALL WEBSITE

Departments have a greater need to have Department Baseball site to help promote program and communicate with coaches.

Have Department Office set up and maintain.

Key Information needed for each site – Key Names – addresses – phone numbers, email – dates and deadlines – registration forms – rules – tournament rules

DEPARTMENT BASEBALL RULES

Website should also include:

Key Dates and Deadlines

Protest procedures – how (in writing) – deadline (within 24 hours of game) – what rule is violated – (rule 6.d – dual participation).

When and Where Department Tournament will be held.

1. Set State Rules – NOT in conflict with National Rules. Department Recruiting Rules may be more restrictive – not more liberal

2. Set registration deadline

• Set penalty for breaking or missing deadline

3. Set registration fee

4. Set tournament play – county, district, zone (Be specific with schedule and pairings).

5. Avoid conflict of interest…

6. Appeal process must be followed… with justification.

2009 National Tournaments

State Deadline – August 2

August 5 – 10

World Series – Fargo, ND – Aug. 12 - 17

National Appeals Board

Purpose is to provide due process – rule not covered in rule book or possible conflict between rules – or if Chairman ruling in error.

Appeals Board does NOT waive rules or grant an exception to any rules.

Understanding Rules

Limited Opportunity

If conditions (rules) are met • American Legion Baseball is a competitive baseball program and is NOT a Parks and Recreation program.

• Play for nearest team - school attended or

• Play for team nearest parents DOMICILE

• By law only 1 domicile – where do parents pay taxes; where do they vote

• Enrollment cap of 5,000

Understanding Plan A zoning

Plan A1. Key to Plan A – each team is assigned

territory an only players who live in territory can play for that team.

2. Number of teams is determined by total of school enrollments (10, 11, 12) divided by 5,000

3. A zone or territory determined and map approved by Department.

4. Parent’s Domicile must be within boundary.

5. Waivers approved only if both zones are less than 5,000.

6. Location of domicile determines players eligibility under Plan A or Plan B

Plan A Zoning

Plan A Zone• Locate all the schools inside “zone to

be divided”.

• Determine school enrollments.

• Divide Territory by number of mandated zones.

• Both State and National Baseball Committee must approve zone to insure equality.

• Team select players based on parent’s domicile. (ELIMINATES RECRUITING)

13 schools with 2,000 students.

26,000 students divided by 5,000 equals a MINIMUM of 5.2 teams or six teams or zones.

You may need to create a dead zone (of equal size) of you do not have six teams.

Street Atlas – pin points schools

Territory is divided

Note – we have dead zone because we have not sponsor for that team. Kids can’t play.

Note: teams and only play players that live in zone – Players from outside zone must return home and play for hometown team.

PLAN A Zoning Rules• Parent’s domicile determines which

team the player qualifies for.• Law only permits 1 domicile.• Waiver permitted if combined zones is

less than 5,000.• Temporary residence not permitted.• Must be court ordered adoption &

Mom & Dad incapacitated. • Plan A and Plan B rules are not

compatible

Plan B1. Base School must be approved by baseball

committee. No changes without strong reason.

2. Play for nearest Base School team

3. Must count high school enrollment for all students in 10th, 11trh, 12th grade.

4. Emancipated college players must return home to former team or team nearest parents (count former HS enrollment)

5. Parent’s domicile is final determining factor.

6. Must be in USA legally to be eligible to play.

Plan B1. Base school must be approved and reasoning.

2. Transfer form #77 & #76 must be approved prior to listing player on form #1.

3. District Rules subject to approval of State Committee. (District are not issued a charter)

4. State Baseball Committee subject to approval of DEC

5. Outside sponsorship okay if approved by Department. (mandate 501(3c) corporation

PAPERWORK - PAPERWORK- PAPERWORK

• Forms can be downloaded from the web. Scholarship – artwork – emblem sales memos.

• Do not accept Form #1 if it is not typed.

• Form #1 and #2 & #76 & #77 must be kept on file with the state office – State Chairman can keep copy but state office needs to retain copy for three years.

• Understand spirit of the rule – waivers – if player is cut – do not approve 100 waivers from player to play for team nearest college.

Plan B – nearest team

DeLorme Street Atlas determines the nearest team

Shortest Distance to Base School

Rule 4.C – Option Rule

Old Catholic School Rule

1. One Time Option – to player for team nearest parents domicile OR

2. One Time Option to player for team nearest base school to where player attends school.

3. STATE OFFICE TO MAINTAIN ALL PAPERWORK – FORMS – TRANSFERS - ETC

Rule 4.E – Transfer RuleA player released from a team must obtain permission on National Transfer Form #76 from that team’s manager to play for the team that is closest to his parents’ domicile.

1. To determine the nearest team from among several, use the shortest driving distance as calculated by DeLorme, Street Atlas USA® 2008 computer program.

2. The player must provide signed Transfer Form #76 to the new team manager, which must be forwarded to the authorized Department Baseball Official for approval, prior to listing the player on the Form #1.

All transfers shall be final and binding through the remainder of a player’s eligibility. (Which means once a players has been transferred – he is no longer eligible for 2nd waiver.

A waiver across state lines requires both chairmen's approval.

Spirit of the TRANSFER RULE

The transfer rule was designed to give a player who is unable to make the hometown or neighborhood team an opportunity to try out for the next closest team.

It is not designed to give players 10 or 25 or 50 waivers across the state.

It is not designed to allow players to play for team nearest his college team or where he is going to work or where his aunt and uncle live.

Waivers need to be approved by state chairman – PRIOR to placing player on team.

Create a limit on the number of waivers in your state rules.

KEEP the SPIRIT of the rule.

ClarificationPlayers who try-out for and fail to make the nearest team can request a transfer to the second closest team to their parents’ domicile. If cut again, that player may try-out for the third closest team, until which time the player is able to play on a team. The enrollment of the high school a player attends on March 31 shall be counted.

Junior Legion players are not eligible to be transferred.

Street Atlas determines nearest team

Nearest team may be north or east or west…

Neither the national staff nor a district nor a state chairman can change the rules during the season.

Only the Americanism Commission can change a rule at their bi-annual meeting. NO rules are waived during season

The National Appeals Board provides rulings and interpretations.

Tournament rules are to be followed from District tournaments and higher.

NO re-entry rule

NO courtesy runner

RULES PHILOSOPHY

NCAA uses same rules throughout season.

High School Federation uses same rules.

Little League uses same rules.

American Legion needs to use same rules.

Association Law and Operating Structure

O p e ra tin g S truc tu re

Baseball Comm ittee Education Com m ittee Counter Subversive

Am ericanism Com mission National SecurityForeign Relations Comm ission

FinanceCom mission

National Exexutive Com m ittee

M em bershipConvention

O p e ra tin g S truc tu re

County O rganization

District BaseballCom m ittee

Team

Coaching Staff

Team M anager

Post AthleticO fficer

Post Com m ander

Am erican Legion Post

Department BaseballCom m ittee

Departm entHeadquarters

National Headquarters

BoosterClub

Players

Coach

TeamM anager

PostCom m ander

M em bership

BoosterClub

Players

Coach

AthleticOfficer

Student

Teacher

Principal

Superentendent

School Board

Our Chain of Command is Similar to High School Operation Structure

Postin Name Only

Players

Coach

TeamM anager

BoosterClub

Department BaseballCom m ittee

Encourage Post to take charge and supervise their team.

Don’t let Booster Club manage team. Booster Club can not hire and fire coach. Their primary duties is the assist by raising funds.

The Post & the Department is non-profit – tax exempt entity. The team is not a tax exempt entity.

Association Law1. Individuals who act on behalf of organization are

typically not subject to individual lawsuit. Adjutant is agent of record, not the baseball chairman.

2. Organization can be sued, not individual. (unless there is gross negligence).

3. Outside sponsors need to be incorporated – eliminate Ma and Pa teams. (find non-profit organization to sponsor and provide supervision).

4. Avoid conflict of interest – have neutral person to make ruling.

5. Don’t be arbitrary or capricious. (Yes to 1 team and no to another team). Chairmen must Enforce all the rules consistently.