269:. The association publishes a summarized basic rule-set and field requirements, and supports local parks and recreation departments, youth activity clubs and baseball leagues, military bases's youth programs, and independent parent-administered leagues. The organization also arranges events, including tee-ball team attendance at Major and Minor League baseball games, and the MLB All-Star Game FanFests. Their stylized "T•BALL USA" logo "identifies the projects and programs created to support the national tee ball constituency and marks licensed and approved products, corporate sponsorships and appropriate alliances."
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192:, claims to have independently created tee-ball in 1961. According to the Starkville Rotary Club's website: "In 1961, when it was apparent that younger children needed some way to participate in the program, Rotarians Clyde Muse and W. W. Littlejohn devised the game of "t-ball" and added it to the summer baseball program."
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Tee-ball is a popular sport for
Australian primary school children. An estimated 60% of Australian primary schools include Tee-ball in their sports programs and 17,000 children play in organised competitions. 2017 research found 10.6% of 6–13 year-olds regularly play tee-ball, making it the 14th most
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to strike. (In some clubs, adult coaches give the batter an opportunity to try and hit a few pitched balls before going to the tee in the hope that this will further develop batting skills.) Most of the other rules are similar or identical to those of baseball, though the game is played on a smaller
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is also a special position due to the added gear that is worn; in other leagues, there is no catcher. In tee-ball, the pitcher is usually used for defensive purposes only, though gently pitched balls may be used with older or more advanced players in place of the fixed tee. The
188:, Recreation Department, formed a tee-ball league in March 1958, in which 20 children played the first year. Lewis designed rules for the new game and mailed the rule books out to recreation departments all over the country and overseas. Nevertheless, the city of
211:. Hobbs's "Tee Ball" trademark was still asserted by Gospel Projects, Inc., of Milton, Florida, at least as of 2009 (last year of publication of their "Tee Ball Baseball Organization Rules").
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popular children's sport in
Australia. This does not appear to translate into increased participation in baseball and softball which are not popular sports for teenagers older than 14.
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Tee-ball associations generally allow children between the ages of four and seven to play in their leagues. A tee-ball coach sets the team lineup and fielding positions in the team's
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The game's origins date back to at least the 1950s, with several people claiming to be the father of the game, and it appears to have been independently invented in several places.
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Many parents assist during the game by coaching players in the dugout, in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. They often also perform the task of
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or other youth baseball. In addition, for the youngest tee-ball players, runs and outs are often not recorded, and every player gets to bat each inning.
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claims to be the earliest place of invention of the sport, in 1956, by Jerome
Sacharski. Claude Lewis, director of the
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419:, founded Santa Rosa Christian Schools in 1962, and instrumental in forming the Christian Educators' Association.
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A "Tee Ball" trademark was filed in April of 1971 and subsequently registered in
February of 1973 with the
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Example tee-ball roster sign that is displayed so the fans can cheer the kids by name.
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Bats: 25 to 26 inches long, 2.25 inches diameter, maximum weight 17 to 20
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429:(4). Greenville, South Carolina, US: Bob Jones University: 14–16. 2009.
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529:. West Palm Beach, Florida, US: T-Ball USA Association. 2014.
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443:. Milton, Florida: Gospel Projects, Inc. 2001. Archived from
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Tee: Height-adjustible, flexible tube, with a movable base.
58:. It is intended as an introduction for children to develop
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74:. The positions that get the most action in tee-ball are
577:"Top 20 sports led by walking, swimming and gym training"
482:"Tee Ball on the South Lawn: A Salute to the Troops Game"
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It is estimated that 2.2 million children play tee-ball.
403:"A Look at the Starkville Rotary Club Through the Years"
421:"All Things for Jesus: The Ministry of Dayton Hobbs".
265:(IBAF), and its principal officers are members of the
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A tee-ball player swings at a ball resting on the tee.
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by Robert Dayton Hobbs (1924–2006), the pastor of a
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458:Office of the Press Secretary (June 26, 2005).
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232:hosted tee-ball games on the South Lawn of the
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197:United States Patent and Trademark Office
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115:A young catcher crouches behind the tee.
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95:is placed on an adjustable tee atop the
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355:Tee Ball A Little League Baseball guide
313:"Different Coaching for Different Ages"
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441:"Tee Ball Baseball Organization Rules"
358:. Little League Baseball. p. 19.
352:McIntosh, Ned; Cropper, Rich (2013).
146:Balls: typically appear identical to
153:Footwear: Athletic footwear such as
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218:with spreading the game overseas.
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460:"White House South Lawn Tee Ball"
263:International Baseball Federation
267:National Council of Youth Sports
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226:White House Tee Ball Initiative
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104:field, typically one used for
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99:at a suitable height for the
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386:"T-Ball Invented in Albion"
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563:Australian Baseball League
415:Hobbs, a 1959 graduate of
209:Santa Rosa County, Florida
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169:: Mandatory at all times.
163:: 12 inches long maximum.
405:. Starkville Rotary Club.
201:fundamentalist Christian
135:Equipment specifications
505:"Welcome - T-BALL Home"
392:, April 28, 2002, pg. 5
317:Ultimate Youth Baseball
190:Starkville, Mississippi
245:T-Ball USA Association
186:Warner Robins, Georgia
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46:based on a simplified
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203:church he founded in
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62:skills and have fun.
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16:Children's team sport
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417:Bob Jones University
423:Voice of the Alumni
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228:", U.S. president
216:United States Navy
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559:"Junior Baseball"
462:. The White House
60:bat-and-ball game
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234:White House
66:Description
595:Categories
581:Roy Morgan
295:References
97:home plate
80:first base
44:team sport
288:Baseball5
148:baseballs
72:scorebook
466:July 31,
371:1 August
322:1 August
311:Joseph.
282:See also
224:In the "
129:umpiring
56:softball
52:baseball
36:tee ball
28:Tee-ball
523:"Rules"
176:History
88:catcher
84:infield
76:pitcher
42:) is a
32:teeball
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161:Gloves
101:batter
40:T-ball
30:(also
468:2015
373:2015
360:ISBN
324:2015
93:ball
78:and
48:form
54:or
50:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
