A Minnesota Legion Baseball legacy

By Tim Engstrom

St. Michael Post 567 was one hit short of going to the American Legion World Series this year. If you get your hands on the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Rulebook, it has all kinds of history in the back.

Minnesota has produced five national champions:

  • Minneapolis-Richfield Post 435 in 1943, defeating a team from Springfield, Ohio.
  • Edina Post 471 in 1983, defeating Boyertown, Pa., Post 471. (A battle of two Post 471’s!)
  • New Brighton Post 513’s Tri-City Red in 1999, defeating Kennewick, Wash., Post 34.
  • Rochester Post 92’s Rochester A’s in 2003, defeating Cherryville, N.C., Post 100.
  • Eden Prairie Eagles in 2011 (outside sponsor: Eden Prairie Baseball Assocation), defeating Medford, Ore., Post 15.

Also worth noting:

  • In 2002, Excelsior Post 259 was the national runner-up, falling to West Point, Miss., Post 212.
  • In 2007, Eden Prairie was the national runner-up, falling to Columbia, Tenn., Post 19.
  • In 2010, Eden Prairie was the national runner-up, falling to Midwest City, Okla., Post 170.
  • A handful of Minnesota teams besides the ones listed above have qualified for the American Legion World Series: Burnsville Post 1700 in 2013, Woodbury Post 501 in 2005, Eden Prairie in 2004, Bloomington Post 550 in 1999 (yes, we had 2 teams in the ALWS that year), Excelsior Post 259 in 1998, New Brighton Post 513’s Tri-City Red in 1997, Osseo Post 172 in 1995, Osseo Post 172 in 1993, Moorhead Post 21 in 1988, New Ulm Post 132 in 1985 (interestingly, they hosted and won the regional, reaching the ALWS without being state champ or runner-up), Edina Post 471 in 1982, New Ulm Post 132 in 1978, Minneapolis-Richfield Post 435 in 1973; St. Paul North End Post 474 in 1950, Austin Post 91 in 1948, Minneapolis-Richfield Post 435 in 1944, St. Paul Christie-DeParcq Post 406 in 1935, Minneapolis North Side Post 230 in 1932, St. Paul John DeParcq Post 406 in 1928.
  • In 1980, Ely hosted the ALWS; Honolulu defeated Boyertown, Pa., Post 471.
  • In 1955, St. Paul hosted the ALWS; Cincinnati Post 216 defeated Washington, D.C., Post 31.
  • In 1944, Minneapolis hosted the ALWS; Cincinnati Post 50 defeated Albemarle, N.C.

The first year of the ALWS was 1926.