Baseball
Francis Scott Key Post 11
Since 1925, the American Legion has sponsored a nationwide youth baseball program. During these past nine decades, millions of young players have enjoyed playing baseball. The American Legion and its 2.8 million members have raised millions of dollars each year for players to learn the importance of teamwork, discipline, leadership and good sportsmanship.
American Legion Code of Sportsmanship
I will: Keep the Rules; Keep Faith with my teammates; Keep my temper; Keep myself fit; Keep a Stout heart in defeat; Keep my pride under in victory; Keep a sound soul; A clean mind; And a Healthy body.
The American Legion sponsors American Legion Baseball to give players an opportunity to develop their skills, personal fitness, leadership qualities, and to have fun. In that time, the American Legion Baseball Program has produced over fifty professional baseball players who have been enshrined in The Baseball Hall of Fame. Included among these are the following Baltimore Orioles: Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Reggie Jackson, George Kell, Robin Roberts, and Hoyt Wilhelm.
Sports programs have been an important part of Post 11 since it was founded in 1919. Post Meeting minutes indicate that a football game was part of the Armistice Day Celebration 11 November 1920. Programs for bowling, basketball, and football have periodically been sponsored. However, Post 11’s longest continuous running American Legion Americanism Sports Program is FSK Post #11 American Legion Baseball. One or more Legion Baseball teams have been annually sponsored and operated by members of the Post since 1930. From 1934 to 1944 the team suspended operation during the pre-WWII and the war years, but the Post again fielded a team in 1945 and has continued to do so annually. Archive records indicate that Post 11 has had twenty-six players that signed professional contracts, five were drafted or signed pro contracts from the 1965 team, and in 2009 had the only team to go 24-0 in the Western Maryland District. The Baseball Program remains very strong with a Legion Team, a Junior Team and a Fall Team today.
