Over fifty years ago, a group of men dedicated to the youth of America met in a suburb of Trenton, New Jersey, and formed what became the very first Babe Ruth League. This group of men eventually agreed to name Marius D. Bonacci as the “founder” of the program which was initially registered under the name Little Bigger League. The program was renamed in 1954 when Claire Ruth, Babe Ruth’s widow, who had learned of the merits of the organization and its tremendous growth, met with the administrators. She subsequently gave the organization permission to change its name to Babe Ruth League. She has been quoted as saying, “Babe Ruth was a man who loved children and baseball; he could receive no greater tribute than to have a youth baseball program named after him.”

Babe Ruth League, Inc. caught on nationally, then internationally. It now ranks as the premier amateur baseball and softball program in the world.

Babe Ruth League, Inc. has increased steadily from its first 10-team league in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, to its present combined size of over 886,500 players on some 45,200 teams in more than 7,315 leagues.

The success of the Baseball and Softball program is due to the millions of volunteer hours spent every year. Every volunteer, from the local League Manager to the Chairman of the 17-member International Board, is dedicated to the betterment of youth, while at the same time producing better players.

It is the 13-15 Division, started in 1951, where the players get their baseball feet wet for the first time under regulations and rules on standard diamonds. Each chartered league is eligible to enter a team in tournament competition. District winners go into statewide competition with that successful club qualifying for one of eight regional tourneys. This division's first World Series was held in 1952.

The next stop in the baseball ladder for young players is the Babe Ruth 16-18 division, born in 1966 and showing remarkable growth and success. Teams follow a similar route as their 13-15 counterparts with the highlights of the campaign being the 16-18 World Series, which was first held in 1968. Jamestown hosted the 16-18 World Series in 1984, 1992 and 1997. This series has gained the attention of Major League Scouts from all 30 clubs.

In 1974 the 13-Year-Old Prep League was added with the first 13-Year-Old World Series being held in 1980 in Jamestown, NY. It was the first time Jamestown had hosted a World Series and it has hosted twelve more since then. The 13-Year-Old World Series' 10th, 20th and 25th anniversaries were also held in Jamestown in 1990, 2000 and 2005, respectively. Jamestown will again be hosting the 13-Year-Old World Series in 2008.

In 1994, Babe Ruth Baseball organized its first World Series for 16-Year-Old players. Carmel, Indiana was the host of the first 16-Year-Old World Series. Jamestown became the second host site of the 16-Year-Old World Series in 1995 and then hosted again in 2003.

Babe Ruth League added another dimension to its program in 1984 - a Softball Division designed for girls. The Softball Division is open to Babe Ruth League's current age groupings from 5 to 18. The Softball Division was organized because Babe Ruth League recognized a need for softball on the girls' level and a desire for affiliation with an established national program. The first ever 12 and Under Softball World Series was hosted in Jamestown, NY in 1999.