American Legion Baseball Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary

Overview The American Legion provides between $22,000 and $25,000 in baseball scholarships each year to outstanding players. Each Department Baseball Committee may name one player from its department as a scholarship recipient. The total number of scholarships awarded annually depends on the quantity of applications received and interest earned from the scholarship trust fund. Eligibility To be considered, the player must: - Have graduated from high school and attach an official high school transcript. - Be listed on a current roster submitted on the American Legion National Baseball Electronic Registration Form filed with National Headquarters. - Be a member of a team affiliated with an American Legion post. - Include three letters of testimony with the application. Nomination and Application Requirements - Any manager or head coach of a post-affiliated American Legion team may nominate a player. - The nomination packet must include the completed scholarship application, the certification form, and three one-page letters of recommendation. - Required recommenders: 1) Legion coach or team manager; 2) American Legion post commander or adjutant; 3) a community leader (for example, a teacher, minister, Scout leader, church leader, or principal). - All materials must be completed, postmarked, and mailed to the department headquarters no later than July 15. Department Selection Each Department Baseball Committee will evaluate nominees and select the player who best meets the qualifications as that department’s American Legion Baseball Scholarship winner. Department winners receive a scholarship of $500 or more from The American Legion. All-Academic Team — Diamond Sports Sponsorship - All certified department scholarship winners are automatically considered for The American Legion All-Academic Team, sponsored by Diamond Sports (the official baseball of American Legion national tournaments). - From those considered, a scholarship selection committee at The American Legion World Series will choose eight players to receive an additional $2,500 each. - A ninth player, named the most outstanding member of the All-Academic Team, will receive an extra $5,000. - All players selected to the All-Academic Team retain their original department award (the $500 department scholarship). Award Use and Disbursement - Scholarship funds become available to recipients immediately upon graduation from an accredited high school. - The entire award must be used within eight (8) years of the recipient’s graduation date; active military service time is excluded from this eight-year limit. - Awards may be applied toward attendance at any state-accredited, post–high school educational institution chosen by the student. - The American Legion national treasurer will issue disbursements from the scholarship fund jointly to the student and the school at the start of each semester.