WELCOME TO IDAHO AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL!
Idaho American Legion Baseball has been in continuous operation since 1926. An Idaho team from Pocatello, Idaho, was in the very first American Legion World Series Championship game in 1926 held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, losing a close game to the team from Yonkers, New York!
Our programs have offered summer baseball for our youth state-wide and over the years has produced many athletes who advanced on to the college and professional level of baseball. In addition many of our former players have become leaders in their communities and in education as well as business and industry worldwide. We strive to teach our players the game of baseball, teamwork, sportsmanship and to become good citizens. We follow the professional rules of baseball with some minor changes implemented for the safety of our players, coaches and fans.
Our programs fall into 3 categories; our “A” program is designed both for our rural, smaller populated areas and for “feeder teams” to our larger AA programs. They have the same age-eligibility as the AA teams and follow the SENIOR rules of American Legion Baseball. We have a State Tournament for this Division and the site of that Tournament moves in a rotation between the three areas in our State, in a fixed rotation – Area A to Area C to Area B. Area A is comprised of teams in the North (Grangeville up); Area B from teams in Ontario, Oregon, throughout the Boise Valley to Mountain Home in the East, and Area C which is currently comprised of teams from Jerome east to the borders of Utah, Montana and Wyoming. Our A teams also belong to a unique program of Northwestern States to field a Regional Tournament which rotates the Host states between Alaska (2014), Utah (2015), Montana (2016), Oregon (2017), Idaho (2018) and Wyoming (2019)…then back to Alaska!
Our “AA” program is designed primarily for the older more experienced players in the 17 to 19 year old range. These AA teams also have their own State Tournament which moves from Area A to Area B to Area C back to Area B and repeat. The State Champion advances to the Region 7, Northwest Regional Tournament comprised of the State Champions and Host teams from Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. The NW Champion then moves on to Shelby, North Carolina, the permanent site of the American Legion World Series since 2011 – where they have played before crowds of 89,000, 100,000 and 104,000 in the last three years! All costs of travel, housing and per diem are covered by The American Legion National office to Regionals and beyond.
Our newest division, B, has grown each year since its beginning in 2015. Primarily a hybrid of the National Junior Legion program with slightly different age eligibilities - designed primarily for 8th and 9th grade students. See Rules for specifics.
Idaho American Legion Baseball
PROCEDURE FOR FORMATION OF A NEW TEAM OR APPLICATION FOR THE REINSTATEMENT OF A FORMER TEAM
Do not register on-line until you have completed the following steps. It is highly recommended that you begin this process as soon as possible prior to the season you wish to begin or renew play. Late Applicants may not be able to schedule League games and may then be subject to a probationary season where they would schedule what games they can with existing teams, BUT BE INELIGIBLE for post season play.
STEP ONE:
Read the National and State rules. Both can be found on our State Web site at, www.idaholegionbaseball.org.
Special attention should be given to NATIONAL Rule 4-PLAYER RECRUITING PLAN B, pages 26 – 39, and IDAHO Rules F,G & H, pages 9 – 15.
STEP TWO:
Contact your Area Director if you are intending to register or reinstate a team.
The Area/District Maps are in the Idaho Rules, as are the Directors’ contact information.
STEP THREE:
The appropriate Area Director will notify the appropriate District Directors and will conduct a review focusing on the following areas:
1. Whether the formation or reinstatement of your team will negatively impact any of the existing teams of good-standing in that area.
2. Whether you can show sufficient roster strength to insure that you can complete all games during the season, including District Tournaments.
3. Whether you can show you have sufficient economic support to pay all costs for play – National fees, State fees, required insurance, uniforms with required Legion patches, baseballs, Umpire fees, etc.
STEP FOUR:
The Area Director and District Directors from the Area/District in question will then vote on whether to allow the application or reinstatement. A simple majority vote of those Directors will determine the issue. The Directors shall file a written report their findings in writing to the State Chairman. If there is a tie vote, the State Chairman will cast the deciding vote based on the reports of the Directors. The Area Director will notify the applicant of the final decision. That decision will be final for the season. Any appeal of that decision will be taken up by the Board of Directors only at the next scheduled Mid-Winter Meeting following the season. All appeals must be in writing and sent to the State Chairman and someone from that organization must be present at the Mid-Winter Meeting to present their argument.
Click on image to complete your application.
Click on image to start and complete your required Concussion Training.
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