🧢 A Community Member’s Perspective on Nebraska American Legion Baseball
- Stop the Take!
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
A concerned NE community member shares with us a powerful expression of both tradition and frustration, and the expression clearly reflects this community member’s deep concern for integrity and fairness in Nebraska’s American Legion Baseball program.
“Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd…” A classic anthem, sung in stadiums across America, echoing the spirit of summer, community, and youth. That spirit is the heartbeat of American Legion Baseball, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, a tradition dating back to 1925.
This program, founded to promote community service and youth development, has become one of the most respected amateur athletic leagues in North America. Supported by Major League Baseball (MLB) and proudly boasting 82 Hall of Fame alumni, including legends like Babe Ruth, Greg Maddux, and Chipper Jones, Legion Baseball has shaped countless lives on and off the field.
Each state operates its own Legion Baseball structure, featuring classes (A, B, C) and culminating in a prestigious national championship. From state tournaments to the Legion World Series, the pathway is designed to honor unity, rules, and the American Legion’s guiding principles.
But here in Nebraska, many families are asking:
Where is the accountability?
Parents report exorbitant player fees with few visible returns. Concession and gate revenues, sponsorships, and donations flow in, but transparency doesn't. Allegations are rising favoritism, benching without cause, disjointed “board” operations that defy Legion rules. These “rogue boards” operate without oversight, leaving many to wonder:
Who is minding the store?
This isn't just mismanagement, it’s a betrayal of youth. Players are disillusioned. Some quit the game they love, citing bullying, politics, and unchecked power by local leadership.
The American Legion Baseball program outlines Four Rules every team must follow:
1. Leadership
2. Rules
3. Reports
4. Controls
Yet enforcement in Nebraska feels absent. Why hasn’t leadership acted?
Let’s realign with the original mission:
“To instill in youth a sincere desire to develop citizenship, sportsmanship, loyalty, and team spirit… and build for the nation’s future.”
This community member's appeal is clear: restore transparency, hold individuals and programs accountable, and re-center the program on its founding values. Only then can Nebraska’s American Legion Baseball reclaim its rightful place in this proud national tradition.
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