PONY Baseball and Softball
PONY Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization with headquarters in the Pittsburgh suburb of Washington, Pennsylvania. Started in 1951,[1] it is dedicated to helping young people grow into healthier and happier adults, primarily through the organization of baseball and softball leagues. Membership is open to children from age 5 to 18 and the leagues are organized with two-year age brackets.[2]
History
PONY became an international organization in the late 1950s.[2] Currently PONY has a presence in 21 countries.
Pony has occupied a new headquarters facility since 2005.[3]
Origin of name
Children at the Washington, Pennsylvania YMCA named the organization PONY, which stood for "Protect Our Neighborhood Youth." This later became "Protect Our Nation's Youth." [2]
Divisions
Age divisions
- Shetland League (ages 4–6)
- Pinto League (7-8)
- Mustang League (9–10)
- Bronco-11 League (11)
- Bronco League (11-12)
- Pony-13 League (13)
- Pony League (13-14)
- Colt League (15-16)
- Palomino League (17-19)
Champions League
In 2009, the PONY Baseball and Softball International board of directors formed a new division—the Champions League—for children with special needs.[4][5]
Zones
United States
- See footnote[6]
- East Zone:[7] Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and District of Columbia
- North Zone:[8] Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, western Tennessee, and Wisconsin
- South Zone:[9] Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
- West Zone:[10] Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
International
- Asia-Pacific Zone:[11] Australia, China, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, east Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam
- Caribbean Zone:[12] Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Bonaire, Dominican Republic, Nevis, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Croix, St. Eustatius, St. Martin, and St. Thomas
- European Zone:[13] Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, west Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden
- Mexican Zone:[14] the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, and Zacatecas
Intra-zone tournaments
- See footnote[15]
World Series
- See footnote[16]
- Mustang League World Series (9–10)
- Bronco-11 League World Series (11)
- Bronco League World Series (11-12)
- Pony-13 League World Series (13)
- Pony League World Series (13-14)
- Colt League World Series (15-16)
- Palomino League World Series (17-19)
Champions
- See footnote[17]
Alumni
- See footnote[18]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Baseball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc., official website. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 PONY FAQ. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ PONY International Headquarters. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ PONY Announces Formation of New Champions League. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ MLB All Star - Challenger vs Champions Game 2009. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ What Zone Am I In? (Interactive). PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ East Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ North Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ South Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ West Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ Asia-Pacific Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ Caribbean Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ European Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ Mexican Zone Baseball / Softball. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ 2011 Baseball All-Star Tournaments. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ World Series Sites & Information. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ Past World Series Winners. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ↑ PONY Graduates in MLB. PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
Gallery
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PONY Headquarters. Flag Plaza in view in foreground.
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PONY Headquarters dedication plaque, located on building entrance.
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PONY Headquarters Main Hall/Museum
External links
- PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. official website
- National Youth Baseball Championships (10-under and 12-under divisions). PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc.
Coordinates: 40°9′19.28″N 80°16′58.90″W / 40.1553556°N 80.2830278°W
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