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BABE RUTH LEAGUE, INC.
CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY

2001 marked the 50th Anniversary of Babe Ruth League, Inc. This non-profit, educational organization, named after one of the greatest baseball players of all time - George Herman "Babe" Ruth - has come a long way since its modest start 50 years ago.

In 1951, ten men, who believed that the future of their community depended upon the proper development of the young people, met at the historic Yardville Hotel in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, for the purpose of developing a baseball program for young men between 13 and 15 years of age.

Babe Ruth League, Inc. recognizes Marius E. Bonacci as the Founding Father of the program, along with the contribution of the following nine men, Samuel M. Welch, Ferdinand J. Wagner, Ed Jones, Ted Jasek, Cliff Fovour, Boots Snyder, William Dombrowski, Maskill Paxson and Willard Carson, Jr.

These ten men formed the Hamilton Township Little Bigger Baseball League, the forerunner of Babe Ruth League, Incorporated. On May 14, 1951, the first ever Little Bigger League game was played between Homedell Civic Association and the White Horse Fire Company at Switlik Park.

From that first game on, the ten-team league played before enthusiastic crowds, so much so that in the following year League President Willard Carson, Jr. submitted an article to the Sporting News seeking interested parties in order to form a national baseball league for this age group. Ninety-eight municipalities responded to that article and the rest is history!

Babe Ruth League, Inc. is now one of the nation's premier amateur sports organizations and boasts close to 1,000,000 participants playing in its baseball and softball programs throughout the United States and into Canada.