The Association of Professional Ball Players of America (APBPA) is a

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-based

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

set up in 1924 to assist professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

players. The organization caters to players from all leagues, including the minor leagues. The organization was started by 12 former players in

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and now has over 101,000 members.

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...

, and other stars of the 1920s spearheaded the development of the APBPA to help former players who were in need financially or experiencing illness or injuries.

History

The proceeds from the 1934 Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game, which was estimated at $45,000–50,000 (), went to the APBPA. The 1935 MLB All-Star Game in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

took in $92,692 () in proceeds for the APBPA. In 1941, the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

(PCL) held its first annual PCL All-Star Game and the proceeds for the game were donated to the APBPA. In 1982, the Old Timers Baseball Classic was created. The event, which was a game between two teams made up of retired baseball players, was sponsored by

Cracker Jack Cracker Jack is an American brand of snack food that consists of molasses-flavored, caramel-coated popcorn, and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of trivial value inside. The Cracker Jack name and slogan, "The More You Eat The ...

and took place in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, at

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the ...

. Part of the proceeds from the game, which was attended by 29,196 people, went to the APBPA. The game became an annual event and parts of the games proceeds went to the APBPA until at least 1989. A 1986 profile of the APBPA by ''

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'' sportswriter Chris Dufresne detailed acts of charity by the organization and expounded upon how they distributed funds. Players were allowed to start taking assistance before their

Major League Baseball Players Association The Major League Baseball Players Association (or MLBPA) is the union representing all current Major League Baseball players. All players, managers, coaches, and athletic trainers who hold or have held a signed contract with a Major League club ...

pension kicked in at 45 years of age. The APBPA takes membership dues from professional baseball players and issues membership cards.

Pete Coscarart Peter Joseph Coscarart (June 16, 1913 – July 24, 2002) was a second baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1938 through 1946 for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Listed at 5' 11" , 175 lb. , Coscarart batte ...

was issued an APBPA "Gold Card" which allowed him free admittance to professional baseball games. An award given out by the APBPA known as the Chuck Stevens Award, named for the organization's former secretary-treasurer, is given out annually to the best minor league baseball player from

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

. While in past years the APBPA did not assist players who were experiencing drug addiction, the association currently offers assistance for former players with problems with drug, alcohol, and other addictions and has recently appointed a Director of Addiction Services to help former players. Kameron Loe serves APBPA as a Board Member and President of the Association providing charismatic leadership and direction as the Association approaches its 100th Anniversary in 2024. The 2022 APBPA Board of Directors is composed of Tony LaRussa, Howie Bedell, Ray King, Manny Parra, Steve Bumbry, Dr. Erin Shannon and Kevin Simmons. Former noted Board Members are Tom Gamboa, Brooks Robinson, Dr. Drayton "Smoke" Patterson, the first Ph.D. Psychologist to sign a Professional Minor League Player/Manager contract (Mid-America League), as the Director of Mental Health Services and Resources and an Ambassador for the APBPA. According to Roland Hemond in 2012, the APBPA has helped 3,000 professional baseball players. In 2012, the APBPA announced it would be offering

long-term care insurance Long-term care insurance (LTC or LTCI) is an insurance product, sold in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada that helps pay for the costs associated with long-term care. Long-term care insurance covers care generally not covered by health ...

through LTC Financial Partners to 11,000 of its members. The APBPA does not publicize their charity work for the privacy of its members.

References

External links

Official Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Association Of Professional Ball Players Of America Charities based in California Baseball organizations