United States Navy Baseball

Formally known as U.S. Navy Baseball the U.S. Military All-Stars "Red, White and Blue Tour of America" was founded in 1990. The team consists of active duty, reserve personnel and Veterans from 38 teams around the world. These teams host worldwide tryouts each year to locate and recommend the most talented armed forces players who will pay their own expenses while off-duty to compete against the finest professional, independent and summer collegiate programs in the world. The team originated in Pensacola, Florida before moving to San Diego for the 1993 season.

Mission

To Promote the Awareness of Americans in Support of the Honorable Sacrifices our Armed Forces make at the tip of the spear.

History

The origin of United States armed forces baseball has been traced as far back as the American Civil War (1860-1865). For over a century, military baseball has been utilized as a successful tool to improve recruiting efforts and the morale of both the armed services and the American people.

Following World War I, major league stars such as Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson served their country while playing on teams overseas and at home. Military baseball reached its peak of popularity during World War II (1941-1945) as baseball legends Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg and Bob Feller headed the list of major league professionals playing on service teams. Military baseball also served as a conduit to post-war reconstruction efforts and international relations most notably in Japan.

Military baseball support was extremely limited in scope during the Korean War (1950-1952) and finally, the Vietnam War (1965-1974), when politicians began the systematic dismantling of the military infrastructure and force strength. Baseball was slowly phased out and went dormant along with the decline of the armed forces.

Modern Era

In 1990, the United States experienced a renaissance of organized military baseball in the “Modern Era”. Determined re-organization efforts began after a U.S. Navy program was founded in Pensacola, Florida. That initial Navy program launched nearly two decades ago, led to establishing the growth of successful teams in all the armed forces around the world.

With tensions in the Middle East and the current war in Iraq, the Global War on Terrorism continues to be a factor in lives of Americans each day. As a way to capture the same spirit during World War II a historic effort led by the Navy team provided a unique and patriotic arena for Americans to support their armed forces at home and abroad.

Today, [U.S. Military All-Stars] is the largest, fastest growing and most successful organized military program in the world. Over 21,500 personnel have participated in the program since 1990. In 2003, an episode of the CBS television show “JAG” was based on the programs annual Navy-Marine Corps All-Star Game featuring 2002 Cy Young award winner and Oakland Athletics pitcher Barry Zito.

Navy-Marine All-Star Game

The U.S. Military All-Star Game is played each summer immediately following a San Diego Padres contest and dedicated to Pearl Harbor survivor Commander Lawrence S. Jackman, U.S. Navy. The most valuable player award is dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Wayne Kidd, USMC, who was killed in the line of duty while stationed at Camp Pendleton in March 1996.

Red, White and Blue Tour of America

Each summer, the program coordinates a joint military baseball team representing all the armed forces and the United States Coast Guard to create the most talented military team in the world. The U.S. Military All-Stars were the first “joint” military team in history to represent the armed forces during the historic "Red, White and Blue Tour of America” competing against the Cape Cod Baseball League and the New England Collegiate Baseball League, recognized as the top NCAA sanctioned summer collegiate organizations in the country.

External links

* [http://www.usmilitaryallstars.us/ Official U.S. Military Baseball Website]
* [http://www.capecodbaseball.org/ Official Website of the Cape Cod Baseball League]
* [http://www.necbl.com/ New England Collegiate Baseball League]