Mike Spiers, formerly of Amateur Baseball Development (Calif.), and Jeanie Cooke of the Danville Dans (Ill.) will be honored with the 2024 ABCA Travel & Youth Baseball Service Awards prior to the start of clinics on Friday, January 5 at the 2024 ABCA Convention in Dallas. The ABCA Travel and Youth Baseball Service Awards were introduced at the 2023 ABCA Convention and honor coaches who have made or are making significant contributions to youth in their community through the sport of baseball.
Mike Spiers, who passed away in 2013, was a trailblazer in travel baseball. He founded Amateur Baseball Development (ABD) in Corona, California, in 1992 as one of the first national travel teams. On the field, he won over 14 national championships, including various WWBA National and World Championships, the USA Baseball National Championship, the AABC Connie Mack World Series, National Amateur Baseball Federation Championship, and Triple Crown World Series. Beyond his success on the field, Spiers was widely-known for teaching not only baseball skills, but giving his players the tools to succeed in everyday life. Several of his players went on to great fame in Major League Baseball, including Nolan Arenado, Christian Yelich, Anthony Rizzo, Kolton Wong and Michael Lorenzen.
Jeanie Cooke, the co-owner and General Manager of the Prospect League’s Danville Dans summer collegiate team in Illinois, began her work in youth baseball through the American Legion Youth Baseball League program in Danville, where she volunteered as a hitting coach for 11- and 12-year-old players. Now, Cooke integrates local youth in with her collegiate summer league team. The Dans invite all kids ages 10 and under to attend their games and then come onto the field post-game to interact with players. The team hosts several youth summer camps as well and the Dans are actively involved and support the local Challenger League, a program for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. The Dans organization has expanded to support two Junior Dans teams that feature youth players from the surrounding area.
PAST RECIPIENTS: Kenny Fullman, Chicago White Sox ACE Program & Jim Peck, Excelsior Legion Baseball Post 259 (MN)