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Our History

Association of Professional Ball Players of America®

Our organization was formed when twelve former MLB baseball players, including Babe Ruth, gathered in Los Angeles, California in 1924 with first baseball Commissioner Hon. Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis and determined there was a need to assist the less fortunate members of the baseball profession. In the past almost hundred years, we have grown to over 101,500 current members and have provided temporary financial assistance to thousands of current and former professional players, coaches, umpires, scouts, and trainers. Major League Baseball, the National Association of the Minor Leagues, MLB Alumni, MLBPAA, AAGPL, and SABR have all endorsed the Association and recognize the important role we play in helping those ballplayers in need.

Learn MoreJoin APBPA

Our Mission

Our mission is to furnish financial assistance to the sick or indigent ballplayer or member of the baseball family when he becomes of an age where he is no longer able to provide for himself and has no other source of income. This includes any ballplayer or member of the baseball family who may contract an incurable disease, irrespective of age, who has no other source of income or relatives to provide for him. We are proud to provide emergency assistance for a broad range of circumstances one may encounter in their life.

Since the beginning, our Association has grown to over 101,500 members & we have helped over 3,700 ballplayers.

Our Association is the humanity part of baseball

(Excerpt from a 1932 APBPA membership book)

Do your duty to your fellow man by becoming a member and contributing to the greatest organization the ball players and umpires have ever had.

If this organization is not worthwhile, there never was one.

Has any other organization done so much good with so little

This Association is the humanity part of baseball, and it all simmers down to one thing–do you want to help the old, injured, and sick ballplayers and umpires when they cannot help themselves?

For you must remember, you are going to get old yourself and may possibly become sick with an incurable disease or you may become permanently injured through no fault of your own and it is mighty nice to have something to fall back on and receive some relief.

Past Board Members

Past Presidents

  • Walter Boles
  • Walter Johnson
  • Charlie Graham
  • Calvin Griffith
  • Joe Cronin
  • George Stovall
  • Clark Griffith
  • Eddie Sawyer
  • Fred Haney
  • John McHale
  • Frank Isbell
  • Eddie Collins
  • Clarence Rowland
  • Bob Scheffing
  • Roland Hemond
  • Jim Rantz
  • Bobby Grich

Past Secretaries

  • Russ Hall
  • Chuck Stevens
  • Win Clark
  • Dick Beverage 
  • Bobby Adams

Past Board Members

  • Cap Dillon
  • Pete Daley
  • John McGraw
  • Dan Howley
  • George Dalrymple
  • John Rawlings
  • Roger Peckinpaugh
  • Art Griggs
  • Jake Atz
  • Charley O’Leary
  • Charlie Grimm
  • John Evers
  • Bill Klem
  • Truck Hannah
  • Honus Wagner
  • Gabby Hartnett
  • Bill McKechnie
  • Hank Gowdy
  • Jimmy Wilson
  • Pepper Martin
  • Muddy Ruel
  • Charlie Chech
  • Sam Crawford
  • Bill Essick
  • George Cutshaw
  • Rube Ellis  
  • Andy High
  • Norm Brashear
  • Wade Killefer
  • Doc Crandall
  • Nick Altrock
  • Babe Ruth
  • Rabbit Maranville 
  • Tony Lazzeri
  • Mickey Cochrane
  • Jimmy Foxx
  • C.C. Johnson Spink
  • Larry Gilbert
  • Bill Sweeney
  • Mel Ott
  • Babe Herman
  • Dixie Walker
  • Dad Meek 
  • Charlie Deal 
  • Art Kruger
  • Jack Reardon
  • Jack Barry 
  • Bert Niehoff
  • Chet Chadbourne
  • Jigger Statz
  • Clyde Milan
  • Pie Traynor
  • Lou Gehrig
  • Nick Williams
  • Bill Dickey
  • Herb Pennock
  • Gus Mancuso
  • Willie Kamm
  • Dick Bartell
  • Ted Lyons
  • Bill Southworth
  • Joe McCarthy
  • Stan Hack
  • Steve O’Neill
  • Joe DiMaggio
  • Marty Marion
  • Lou Brock
  • Bob Feller
  • Mickey Mantle
  • Gene Mauch
  • Joe Gordon
  • Walter Alston
  • Bill Meyer
  • Fred Hutchinson
  • Bob Kennedy
  • Dick Wagner
  • Nolan Ryan
  • Brooks Robinson
  • Orel Hershiser
  • Tony Gwynn
  • Harry Stewart
  • Lou Boudreau
  • Ted Williams
  • Stan Musial
  • Bill Virdon
  • Jimmy Dykes
  • Willie Mays
  • Paul Richards
  • Danny Murtaugh
  • Henry Aaron
  • Luke Appling
  • Harvey Kuenn
  • Johnny Bench
  • Tom Lasorda
  • Tom Seaver
  • Jim Leyland
  • Tal Smith
  • Mark Grace
  • Sal Artiaga
  • Casey Stengel
  • Lefty O’Doul 
  • Gil Hodges
  • Alvin Dark
  • Al Lopez
  • Don Drysdale
  • Birdie Tebbetts
  • Bob Lemon
  • Ernie Banks
  • Early Wynn
  • Gene Mauch
  • Willie Stargell
  • Tony LaRussa 
  • Whitey Herzog
  • Rod Carew
  • Tony Siegle
  • Steve Cobb
  • Arthur Richman
See Our Current Board of Directors

Endorsements

  • SABR
  • MLB Alumni
  • MLBPAA
  • AZ Fall League
  • Road Scholar Program
  • MLB’s Play Ball Youth Program
  • MLB Baseball Assistance Team
  • Pat O’ Conner President of the Minor Leagues
  • Darrell Miller and the Compton MLB Youth Academy
  • AAGPL
  • International Women’s Baseball Center
  • AZ World of Baseball
  • Nine Conference

Local Chapter Presidents

We are excited to announce opening Local Chapters nationwide.  These leaders are vital to efforts to grow the APBPA at a grassroots level.  Are you interested in launching an APBPA Chapter in your home town?

Help continue our historical mission of Ballplayers Helping Ballplayers Since 1924!