American Legion Post 980 Plum

History of Legion Baseball

Since 1925, The American Legion has sponsored a nationwide youth baseball program. During these past seven decades, millions of young players have enjoyed playing baseball. The American Legion and their 2.8 million members have raised millions of dollars each year for players to learn the importance of teamwork, discipline, leadership and good sportsmanship. The American Legion sponsors American Legion Baseball to give players an opportunity to develop their skills, personal fitness, leadership qualities and to have fun.

The Plum Legion baseball team started in the 1960s.  It became Plum Post 980 Legion baseball in 1978 when Rich Greiser became the manager along with current members Joe Paradise, Tom Cassidy, Jerry Bresnahan, and John DeAntonio.  In 1983, Grieser’s assistant coach / business manager Bill Holmes took over the team as manager and has held the position ever since.  During Holmes’s tenure, Plum Post 980 has won two regular season conference titles (1987, 2007), been to 15 regional tournaments (1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) and four state tournaments (1981, 1987, 1989, 1993).  Holmes’s 1987, 1989, and 2006 squads were Allegheny County Champions.  Plum Legion baseball has had Angelo DeAntonio, Phil George, Chris George, and Daryl Jenkins drafted by Major League teams as well as many other players have gone on to play for Division I colleges.  Through the years, Plum Legion baseball has played against such players as Mike Mussina from Montoursville. 

Since 1989, Plum Legion baseball has played their home games in the well- maintained Saints Field at CCAC Boyce.  They play in the Allegheny River League against the likes of Shaler, Monroeville, Penn Hills, Springdale, Riverview, West Deer, Pine Richland, and Ninth Ward.  Allegheny County is made up of thirty-nine legion baseball teams.  Region six is made up of Beaver, Allegheny, Washington, Fayette, and Greene Counties, which add up to a total of 59 teams for region.  There are a grand total of seven regions in the state of Pennsylvania, which brings the grand total of over 400 senior legion teams, the most in the country.  The team consists of around eighteen players ranging from the ages of 14-19 for roughly a 40-game schedule during the season.  Plum Legion hits the road to annual tournament in Steubenville, OH, and occasional exhibition games in Eastern Pennsylvania.

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