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 activated and Little Boys Baseball, Inc. saw the light of the day. The name was later changed to Dixie Youth Baseball, Inc. in 1962.
Initially, 12 leagues and 537 teams were associated with the formation of this sporting body. However, Over time, it has become the second largest youth baseball programme children under 12 years. Though at the outset it was a segregated tournament, they have abandoned their discriminations now and entertain participants irrespective of their color, race or ethnicity. 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 reason for this phenomenal increase in numbers is due to the fact that Dixie Youth Baseball has the youngsters’ welfare at heart. It believes that a properly supervised baseball programme is instrumental in preparing a child for future challenges in life.
Dixie Youth Baseball is regulated by a National Board of Directors elected by the leagues affiliated to it. In sharp contrast to organizations of similar activity, the staff at Dixie Youth Baseball do not receive any compensation for their work. All of them are volunteers who are quite conversant with the needs of the pre-teens.
There is a set of basic rules for Dixie Youth Baseball. A maximum of15 players with a maximum of 8 twelve year old children are allowed. 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. Eligibility for participation in the games is for those who attain the age 0f 13 on or after August 1. .
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. Excess funds from membership fees and other revenue are utilized to support this venture.