WBSC Congress approves Babe Ruth League as newest Associate Member

The WBSC Congress, which was held in Taipei City (TPE) from 4-5 July, welcomed Babe Ruth League as the newest WBSC Associate to join the baseball-softball global family.

The youth league currently has over one million registered baseball and softball players and has operations across 24 countries and territories, including American Samoa, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Guam, India, Japan, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Rep. of Korea, St. Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and Uganda.

Babe Ruth League, Inc. President/CEO Steven M. Tellefsen said: “It is a great honor to be accepted into the World Baseball Softball Confederation as an Associate Member, joining the many National Federations that we anticipate working with to grow the games of baseball and softball. The Babe was known worldwide for his baseball prowess, and over 70 years after our formation, we will continue the mission to afford every child the opportunity to play this great game of baseball and softball in his honor to new parts of the world.”

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari said: “As we continue to globalize our game and target becoming one of the biggest and most played sports in the world, Babe Ruth League is strongly positioned to help baseball and softball realize these important growth objectives. The WBSC and our National Federations look forward to growing our game together with the Babe Ruth League”

Babe Ruth League’s mission and vision states that “Babe Ruth League is committed to providing our participants with the very best educational and sports experience possible. It is our fundamental belief that every child with a desire to play baseball or softball be afforded that opportunity.”

Originally known as Little Bigger League, Babe Ruth League has increased steadily from its first 10-team league in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, to its present combined size of well over one million participants on some 50,000+ teams in more than 8,500 leagues serving ages 4-18 in both baseball and softball.

Babe Ruth League is a non-profit, educational organization named after one of the most legendary baseball players of all time, George Herman “Babe” Ruth.

The WBSC now boasts 185 Member Federations and 8 Provisional Members (72 Baseball federations, 64 Softball Federations and 57 Baseball and Softball Combined Federations), as well as 14 Associate Members.