We are excited to announce that Aviston will be hosting the American Legion Baseball program’s 2022 IL State Senior Tournament! Mark your calendars for this fun event taking place July 27-30, at the Aviston City Park. So you know what to expect, we’re providing some important details.
American Legion Baseball League History
To give you an idea of what a big deal American Legion baseball is, consider the fact that there are over 3,500 teams in the United States with leagues playing in all 50 states. It’s amateur baseball played by 13 to 19-year-olds.
The League was established in South Dakota in 1925 as a division of the American Legion which had only recently been formed in 1919 as a patriotic veterans’ service. Their focus was to assist veterans, service members, and communities.
The goal was to set up local teams, who would then compete on a regional level, then state, with an ultimate world series as the goal. After some bumps in the road regarding financial backing throughout the depression, a partnership was developed with Major League Baseball.
Major League and American Legion Baseball
Although American Legion Baseball (ALB) and Major League Baseball (MLB) don’t have a formal agreement, they both have benefited from their partnership. After sponsoring ALB for most of its existence, it has proven to be a reliable source for scouts. More than half of current MLB players once played in American Legion Baseball.
There are many ALB players that have gone on to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, including Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Don Drysdale, Reggie Jackson, and Whitey Herzog, just to name a few.
Qualifications for Senior Level
It is the Senior Level teams that will be competing here in July. What does that mean? According to ALB regulations for 2022, senior-level team members must be born in 2002 or 2003, so 18 or 19 years old. It should be noted that team members can be of any gender. The exciting part of attending this State Tournament is that the players on these teams could well be recruited for professional baseball farm teams.
Looking at the Brackets
To see how our local teams may end up in this tournament, let’s look at the brackets. The State of Illinois is divided up into five divisions. Clinton County is in the 23rd Division along with Fayette, Effingham, Jasper, Crawford, Marion, Jefferson, Richland, Wabash, and Lawrence.
Take a look at the Region 5 brackets to see how the 2021 State Tournament ended up. There will be similar matchups for these upcoming 4 days of the State Tournament in Aviston, that will determine the state champion.
The World Series is broadcast on ESPN. Expect to see the 2022 World Series on August 11 – 16 in Shelby, NC.
Start planning now to watch some outstanding baseball July 27-30, 2022! Hopefully, this article on the American Legion Baseball program’s 2022 IL State Senior Tournament stirred up some excitement! Who knows? You may even see a future Hall of Famer at the game!