100 Years Strong: American Legion Baseball’s journey from Milbank and beyond

[Editor’s note: As we celebrate American Legion Baseball’s centennial season, we’re taking a quick look at historical facts of Legion Baseball and how it impacted South Dakota and in particular Lennox. This is the first in a series, with the history of American Legion Baseball courtesy of the American Legion.] 

The idea of American Legion Baseball originated in Milbank, S.D., when Sioux Falls attorney and South Dakota American Legion Department Commander Frank G. McCormick invited Maj. John L. Griffith to speak at the department convention. Instead of a traditional speech, Griffith who was also the collegiate commissioner of the Western Conference (now the Big Ten) spoke about the role athletics can play in the development of youth.

“The American Legion could well consider the advisability of assisting in the training of young Americans through our athletic games,” Griffith said. Athletic competition teaches courage and respect for others, fostering their growth into active citizens, he explained.

The South Dakota convention agreed and passed a resolution urging the Legion to create an organized summer baseball league that started each June. 

The first program in the world to provide a national baseball tournament for teenagers — American Legion Baseball, was born July 17, 1925 in Milbank, SD. 

The summer of 1926 saw posts in 15 states began to make Griffith’s vision a reality. Officially adopted in 1925, the first games would begin in 1926, complete with state, regional, and national tournaments.

That successful first season would conclude in Philadelphia with what today is known as the American Legion World Series. That first National Championship would see Yonkers, NY Post 321 crowned after defeating Pocatello, Idaho in a four-team tournament that also included El Dorado, Kansas and Springfield, Ohio.

There have been very few changes to the 64-team tournament that is still in use at present. The tournament has a similar setup: 64 teams play at eight regional sites, with eight teams going on to the World Series. The winning team receives a trip to Major League Baseball’s World Series, a tradition dating back to 1926. 

Although the inaugural season was successful, it came dangerously close to being the only season. In 1927, the Legion’s national convention convened in Paris. With the organization’s financial coffers stretched thin from the trip’s expenses, the Legion couldn’t fund a World Series. No champion was named and the future of American Legion Baseball looked bleak. 

There would be no National Championship Tournament that year; the only other year without a National Tournament was 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why the 2025 American Legion World Series (Aug. 14-19) will only be the 98th.

So, how did the program go from completely broke to lasting 98 more years and counting? The Legion’s Americanism Director, Dan Sowers, worked to keep the league afloat. The tournament format needed $50,000 and Sowers was determined to raise it. In 1928, he went to an executive meeting for professional baseball, hoping to reach a sympathetic ear. 

Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who pledged a $50,000 annual donation from Major League Baseball. Legion baseball resumed in 1928 and by 1929 participants were coming from every state and the District of Columbia. 

However, the program wasn’t in the clear, yet. Like other insititons, Legion Baseball fell on tough times during the Great Depression. In 1933, MLB’s funds were sapped dry and Legion Baseball was left without a sponsor. Sowers again went out to find a generous sponsor. He eventually found help from the newspaper publisher, Frank Knox, in the amount of $5,000.Knox also gave Sowers letters of introduction to several other newspaper publishers. An additional $28,500 was raised in donations. 

The MLB was able to resume financial support once again in 1935, starting with a $20,000 donation and gradually working back up to the original amount. That support continues into 2025 with professional baseball contributing $40,000 yearly. Fifty percent of all professional baseball players are Legion graduates. 

The American Legion will celebrate 100 years of citizenship through sportsmanship in many ways. One of the main commemorations was the American Legion Baseball Centennial Classic July 11-13 played in Milbank, SD. The birthplace of American Legion Baseball hosted a four day, four team double elimination tournament at the new Legion Field. Milbank Post 9 hosted teams from Minnesota, Nebraska, and North Dakota. 

Lennox began their American Legion team in June of 1927. In the old files of The Lennox Independent, in a May 5 paper, it was noted that Lennox had decided to enter the league. They were seeking any boy who would not be 17 years of age on or before Jan. 1. The league, composed of several teams, was to be organized in Lennox with a regular schedule of games to be played. All games were to start at 6:15 p.m. The games were seven inning contests unless it was agreed to play the full nine innings (daylight permitting). 

The Lennox team played their first game in June of 1927. They lost to Hurley, 27-8. 

American Legion Baseball enjoys a reputation as one of the most successful and tradition-rich amateur athletic leagues. Today the program registers over 5,400 teams in all 50 states and over 82,000 youth play Legion baseball annually.