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Coach Keith Hagan 1944-2009
The Memphis Tigers baseball organization has lost a friend and founder. Chairman Emeritus and long time Tiger coach Keith Hagan passed away yesterday, April 6, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Heaven has ordered a kelly green pinstripe uniform to fit the small-statured patriarch of the East Memphis Boys Athletic Association. Though diminutive in size, Keith’s life has left a giant footprint on youth baseball in Memphis and the Mid-South. His kindness and generosity will never be forgotten and his legacy will live forever.
If you'd like to share a story or a comment about Coach Hagan, please go here.
The Commercial Appeal article about Coach Hagan is here.
At his request, Coach Hagan was laid to rest in his #21 Memphis Tiger uniform.
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George Moreland
The Memphis Tigers regret to announce the passing of another Tiger great. Longtime Tiger President and Board member George Moreland passed away suddenly on Monday August 10, 2009.
Donations made in Mr. Moreland's memory can be sent to
Memphis Boys Athletic Association c/o Rusty Hensley 1661 International Place Drive Suite 300 Memphis, TN 38120 |
The Memphis Tiger Baseball Organization has a long and storied past. The Tigers played their first game in May of 1966 as the Davis Park Tigers under the supervision of Don Mills and Johnny Galbreath. They competed in a local little league and played 50 games. In 1968, Keith Hagan got involved with the Davis Park Tigers as coach of the 13 year old team. The Tigers played under the Davis Park name until 1969 when Keith Hagan, Don Mills, Frank Donato, and Bob Case chartered the East Memphis Boys Athletic Association
(EMBAA) as a 501C3 tax exempt corporation.
The modern day Memphis Tigers were born. As the years progressed Coach Hagan looked for a better league to play in since there were no competitive leagues in this area. In 1977 the Memphis Tigers began play in the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC). They were, and still are, the largest amateur baseball organization offering competition from ages 8 thru adulthood in the world.
The competitive league play and grueling schedule made it more and more necessary to travel and play better teams than were available locally, so the Memphis Tigers went on the road where they continue to spend much of their time. Tiger teams have traveled more than 2,200,000 miles throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. With the increased exposure to great competition, the Memphis organization has grown stronger as a result.
Presently there is no organization in the world that can consistently place teams from the ages of 8 to 18 in World Series play.
The Tiger Organization has won five (5) world titles including their first in 1979 with a National Championship in the Mickey Mantle Division. In total, the Tigers have played in 30 World Series' at all levels.
The 1980's brought about change from the organiztional standpoint. In 1981 the East Memphis Boys Athletic Association become simply the Memphis Boys Athletic Association (MBAA). Also, in 1988 the Roberto Clemente Division was added to the AABC roles for 8 year olds and younger. 1988 saw another World Championship for the Tigers' 10 year old team, which won the Willie Mays Division.
As the 1980's turned into the 1990's, the Tigers became more feared on a national level than ever before. With two (2) National Championships in the 1990's, in the Sandy Koufax division in 1997 and the Mickey Mantle division in 1998.
With those championships the Memphis Tigers solidified their position as a National powerhouse.
The 2002 season brought yet another national title. Al Woods powerful Sandy Koufax squad won over seventy games in 2002, losing only twice, while sending the message that the Tigers were still a factor on the national level. |
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