Proclamation 5060—National Amateur Baseball Month, 1983

The game of baseball originated in the United States of America approximately 150 years ago and quickly became a fixture of community life. Today baseball diamonds dot parks, playgrounds, and schoolyards across the land, and virtually every village, town, and neighborhood has its own team, or teams. No summer would be complete without its schedule of games and championship playoffs.

Baseball is affectionately known as the "national pastime" because of its popularity as both a participant and spectator sport. Some 19 million children, youths, and adults play amateur baseball in the United States; and many millions more attend amateur contests as spectators each year. This vast program is made possible by generous contributions of time, effort, and financial support by millions of individuals representing business, fraternal, civic, religious and service organizations.

Baseball has achieved its greatest popularity and highest level of perfection in the United States, but it is rapidly gaining acceptance elsewhere. In Europe, and in Japan and other Far Eastern countries, there is growing recognition of baseball's great entertainment value and its effectiveness as a means of instilling those qualities of teamwork and fair play that are essential to good citizenship. This recognition is reflected in the fact that baseball will be a part of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Because amateur baseball plays such an important role in our lives, and because millions of Americans are involved in the game as players, fans, and supporters, it is fitting that we should celebrate this uniquely American activity.

In recognition of the wholesome recreation, good sportsmanship, competitiveness, and teamwork so necessary in developing good citizenship which the game of baseball affords, the Congress of the United States, by House Joint Resolution 175 (P.L. 98-16), has designated the month of May 1983 as "National Amateur Baseball Month" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of that month.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of May 1983 as National Amateur Baseball Month, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities, so as to testify to the great and significant value of amateur baseball to the American way of life.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.

RONALD REAGAN