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Still Batting a Thousand
American Legion Baseball began in 1925 and held its first National Tournament the following year. Today, more than
5,200 teams serving about 95,000 youngters participate in all states and Puerto Rico. Thousands of other players
compete under local Legion supervision and do not register for Department (state) or National tournament play.
American Legion Baseball Strives to teach practical lessons in sportsmanship and citizenship. Such qualities as
loyalty, respect for the rules and decisions rendered, fair play, courage, and physical fitness are emphasized in
the activity.
When Department champions have been declared, the national organization conducts a series of elimination tournaments.
Eight regional tournaments are held with the winners advancing to the program's national championship tournament. The
team crowned national championship is honored by Major League Baseball with a trip to the MLB World Series
Many current and former MLB players honed their skills on American Legion diamonds. These included Hall of Famers Bob
Feller, Ted Williams, Don Drysdale, Joe Morgan, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson. Current stars with Legion Baseball
experience include Chipper Jones, Roger Clemons, Greg Maddox and Jeff Bagwell.
American Legion Baseball depends upon the willingness and enthusiasm of American Legion Post, individual Legionnaires
and other Legion family organizations to promote the activity. Enthisiastic leadership, coaches and players are
available in almost every community where an American Legion Post is located.
Working Together for America's Youth
The American Legion's support of Scouting began at its first national convention in 1919 when the Legion officially
recognized Scouting as a positive program for the nation's youth. That support has remained constant through the years
with local posts chartering more than 2,500 units serving more than 70,000 young people. Hundreds of other units
benefit from financial and other forms of supprt by local Posts.
The American Legion sponsors an annual scholarship awarded to the Eagle Scout who is selected as "The American Legion
Eagle Scout of the Year." The winner is awarded a $10,000 college scholarship. Three additional scholarships of $2,500
each are also awarded to three runners-up.
The American Legion recently introduced its Scouting Square Knot Award that recognizes American Legion, Auxiliary or Sons
of the American Legion members who are actively involved in the Scouting program. Its purpose is to recognize dedication
and work by the member to further the Scouting program in The American Legion.
Gaining in Popularity
The American Legion's Junior Shooting Sports Program is a national activity administered through Legion-sponsered clubs
organized to provide gun safety and marksmanship training for young people. The program emphasizes proper shooting and
safety techniques and is for both boys and girls. Handicapped youth are also encouraged to participate.
The program is recognized by shooting sports groups as one of the premier amateur shooting programs in the country. More
than 850 teams are currently affiliated in the program, amd approximately 1,500 individuals shooters enter national
competition each year. The competition culiminates with the national championships at the world-class shooting complex
at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Competition begins with postal matches to determine state and/or regional champions. The next stage is Qualification Round
to determine shooters who will earn expense paid trips to the National Championship. Team competition is also available
at postal levels.
The program uses .177 caliber air guns and competitors fire target set-up in firing lanes 10 meters (33 feet) in length.
Air gun rangescan be set up in classrooms, Legion Post Homes, or any enclosed are with adequate lighting and space.
Any recognized youth group (school or club) with responsible adult leadership can become involved with this program. The
group/club must be sponsered by an American Legion Post and affilated with the National Organization.
Promoting Importance of Education
American Legion Posts are encouraged to play an active role in the activities of the schools in its community. This is
accomplished through overlapping programs that include flag education, Veterans Day programs, speech contests, sporting
activities, career fairs and citizenship education.
Legionnaires are encouraged to keep abreast with the many changes required to maintain a successful school system and to
meet its educational objectives. Support has been provided by Tha American Legion to secure adequate funds for school construction,
research, teachers salaries and a variety of resources to assist students to continue with their education.
Objectives of the Legion's attention to education is summarized as follows:
 To help
make it possible for any child of a veteran who has ability or desire to receive an education beyond high school: and
To
encourage Legionnaires and members of affiliated organizations to take an active role in the development and maintenance
of a school system that will serve the needs of the community: and
To
encourage students to selct careers where personnel shortages exist.
To meet these objectives, The American Legion collects and disseminates information on existing scholarship sources through
publication and distribution of its financial aid handbook Need a Lift? The Legion also promotes the development and funding
of new scholarship opportunities at all levels of the organization.
NEED A LIFT?
For more than 50 years, The American Legion has published a financial aid handbook called Need A Lift? This publication
features information on scholarships, loan and grant opportunities, information about specific colleges and careers. A copy
can be purchased for $3.95, including shipping, prepaid from American Legion Emblem Sales, PO Box 1050, Indianapolis,
Indiana 46206.
School Awards
The School Awards Program is designed to place emphasis on the development of the qualities of courage, honor, leadership,
patriotism, scholarship and service. The development of these qualities encourages young people to live their lives as good
citizens.
The School Award Program recognizes the most outstanding boy and girl of the graduating class in elementary, junior and
senior high schools and at the college level.
Education Week
The American Legion and the National Education Association addressed illiteracy in our nation in 1921 by organizing American
Education Week. Since that time, the week to honor teachers and students and acquaint all citizens with the achievements,
aims and needs of their schools has been an annual observance.
Today, there are 11 American Education Week co-sponsors who select a general theme for the observance. Each year the
National Americanism Commission prepares special literature on the activity for distribution through Departments to
American Legion Posts.
Veterans in the Classroom
Veterans in the Classroom is an initiative spearheaded by The American Legion to organize a nationwide effort to connect
veternas with schools and ultimately put them in the classrooms. In so doing, students learn firsthand from the veterans
about the horrors of war, life in the military and how the service of America's veterans affected their lives and the
lives of others.
Students will gain a greater respect and understanding of the veteran' sacrifices and commitment to service. It also allows
students to focus on the true meaning of patriotism as they study real issues of America's history.
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Youth Learning About Governmen
Boys State
American Legion Boys State is one of the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for
high school students in the nation. Each boy participates in the operation of his local, county and state government.
The American Legion began Boys State in 1935. Forty-nine states conduct this program today, serving more than 25,000 young
men. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a similar program for young ladies called Girls State.
At Boys State, the boys are exosed to the rights and privileges, the duties and responsibilities of a franchised citizen. The
training is objective and pracctical with city, county and state governments operated by elected and appointed officials duly
placed in office by citizens of thier respective Boys State. Activities include legislative sessions court proceedings, law
enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs.
Post interviews and select participants after receiving recommendations from school officials. Costs are usually paid by an
American Legion Post, a local business or another copmmunity-based organization.
Boys Nation
Two of the most outstanding participants in each of 48 Boys State programs are invited to participate in American Legion
Boys Nation. This activity, held anually in the Washington, D.C. area, also emphasizes citizenship education but, unlike
Boys State, in centers on the study of the federal government and its supporting agencies.
Like American Legion Boys State, Boys Nation is an exercise in the two-party system of government. Each delegate becomes a
senator and is assigned to one of two mythical political parites. The boys caucus, organize into committees, conduct
hearings and act on bills that they introduce into the Boys State Senate.
Political figures and other prominent on the Washington scene participate in Boys Nation, providing their expertise on the
many facets of the federal government. Special visits to federal agencies, national shrines and other points of interest
are included in the weeklong session.
Organization of parties, party conventions, the nomination and election of officers, all provide practical experience in
politics and the administration of a republic. These and similar activties create an understanding of, and an appreciation
for, our system of government.
Since its beginning in 1946, Boys Nation has seen many of its graduates elected to public offices which include the
Presidency of the United States, the U.S. Congress, as state govenors and as state legislators. Many others became inspired
to actively work for the campaigns of individuals seeking pulic office.
Learning About Constitution: Earning
Dollars for College
The American Legion's National High School Oractorical Contest is an activity designed to develop in the high school students to a
deeper knowledge and understanding of the Constitution of the United States. Other objectives are those of leadership, the ability to
think and speak clearly and intelligently, and the preperation for acceptance of the duties and responsibilities, the rights and
privileges of American citizenship.
High school students are eligible to compete, subject to the rules established by the National Americanism Commission. The contest
has two phases: prepared orations of eight to ten minutes in length and an assgned topic presentation of from three to five minutes.
Department (state) level contests are usually held during the months of January through March. National competition is conducted
over a single weekend, usually in April, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Scholarships are awarded at most levels of competition. At the National level, first place receives $18,000: second, $16,000: and third,
$14,000. The remaining contestants at the national level share $90,000 in scholarships.
Care and Respect for Flag
Importan
to Legionnaires
The American Legion's Flad Education Program is designed to build patriotism in our youth and all Americans and to develop
a thorough understanding of proper flag display and courtesy. Flag education has been a major activity of The American Legion
since the beginning of the organization in 1919. Since that time, thousands of flag education programs are presented in school
classrooms by Legion Posts across the country each year.
Flag education in the schools fills a need since more than half of the states mandate some form of instruction on flag display
to their school districts. The American Legion, in many communities across the country, is the organization the schools turn
to for such instruction.
In October 2003, The American Legion's National Executive Committee passed a resolution that set a new objective for the
program, that being to "encourage and support efforts to display the Flag of the United States in the nation's school classrooms."
Posts are urged to visit their schools and make available to them enough flags to display one in every classroom.
The American Legion is recognized as on of the foremost authorities on the proper display and care of the flag, answering
thousands of inquires each year. The Legion was instrumental in convening the First National Flag Conference in 1923.
At this meeting, organizations formulated the rules of civilian flag courtesy that later became the Flag Code, adopted
by Congress in 1942.
Commuity Service
The American Legion recognizes that the community is an important part of our American way of life. Legion Posts have, for many
years, made lasting contributions that have made American communities better places in which to live.
Community services projects often place special emphasis on the organization of safety first campaigns, the elimination of
fire hazards, establishment of playgrounds and the erection of living memorials.
More than 200 different types of projects, designed for the betterment of communities, are sponsored by more than 14,000 each
year. Realizing that every community is in need of improvements, many American Legion Posts take a leadership role in
communtiy betterment.
Counter-Subversive The objective of the Legion's Counter-Subversive program siggests that an enlightened and informed citizenry is the greatest
detterent to subversive influences within the United States.
In this effort to inform citizens of the subversive threat, the Americanism Commission publishes a monthly publication
title Firing Line. This publication deals primarily with current events relating to terrorism and homeland security.
Subscription rates for Firing Line are $7.00 per year for single subscriptions; $1.50 per year per subscription when 20
or more copies are mailed to one address. The Americanism Commission suggests that Posts purchase subscriptions for area
schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
Veteran of the Month
The National Americanism Commission conducts a program where Posts can recognize and memorialize the service of area
veterans. The program, called Veteran of the Month, was adopted from an activity designed and conducted by Seward-Kubish
Post 44 of Bantam, Connecticut.
The program is based on a recognition period of one month at which time a deceased veteran's burial flag if flown from a
designated flgapole in the community and the individual's service record is memorialized by the sponsoring Post.
While the administration of the program is strictly a local responsibility; guideline booklets are available from
National Headquarters and/or department sources.
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