TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth has been around since 1954. They've won six World Series Championships across three age divisions, seen countless guys go to college, a few go on to play professionally, and on Thursday night they did something they've never done before.
The Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Foundation awarded four Leon County graduating seniors who played Babe Ruth baseball the organization's inaugural Scholarship for Excellence, $500 to help them at the next level.
Ben Howes, MT Reed, Nick Brady and AJ Thorp each received Scholarship for Excellence awards.
The recipients had to apply and the Foundation looked at grade point averages, volunteers hours, and, most importantly, life lessons learned from playing baseball with Tallahassee--Leon Babe Ruth.
"The coaches really taught me a lot, as well as the players, and just always supporting me even when I wasn't doing well," said Ben Howes. "I think that's what really kept me going."
"That makes me very happy that we're the first group to do it, us four," MT Reed said. "And I've played with them for a while so, for us four to get it, I'm very happy."
"It played a big part in my life because I got to meet new friends, and learn things about baseball, and get better at baseball and meet new people," Nick Brady said.
"Very humbling," said AJ Thorp. "It was a great experience all the way around. It's a great idea to have this, and I think everybody could use this. It's great."
The hope is to award scholarships every year to deserving graduating seniors.
