Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker speaks to the media during Braves Spring Training in Lake Buena Vista, Florida on February 21, 2018. Snitker played American Legion baseball as a youth in Decatur, Illinois. (Jacob Langston for The American Legion)

World Series will have a Legion Baseball presence

For the first time since 2016, the managers of both teams in Major League Baseball’s World Series are alumni of American Legion Baseball.

Dusty Baker, in his second season as manager of the Houston Astros, has the team in the World Series for the third time in five seasons. On the other side of the field, Brian Snitker managed the Atlanta Braves to the National League pennant for the first time since 1999.

Baker played American Legion Baseball for Post 412 in Fair Oaks, Calif. Snitker, in his sixth season leading the Braves, played ALB for Post 105 in Decatur, Ill.

In 2016, Joe Maddon managed the Chicago Cubs to a World Series title over Terry Francona’s Cleveland Indians; both Maddon and Francona played American Legion Baseball in Pennsylvania.

In the seasons since, A.J. Hinch (Midwest City, Okla., Post 170) managed the Astros to a title in 2017 and a World Series appearance in 2019, while Kevin Cash (Tampa, Fla., Post 111) managed the Tampa Bay Rays to the American League pennant in 2020.

Snitker's Atlanta coaching staff also includes ALB alumni in hitting coach Kevin Seitzer (Lincoln, Ill.) and hitting consultant Chipper Jones (Deland, Fla., Post 6).

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman also played ALB in New Mexico. He’s batting .282 in the 2021 playoffs after hitting .270 in 91 games in the regular season. And Astros reserve outfielder Jake Meyers played American Legion Baseball for Omaha (Neb.) Post 1; he's appeared in four games in these playoffs, with three hits in eight at-bats.

Last year’s World Series took place in one location, Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., due to pandemic, after a shortened season. This year, the World Series is back in the stadiums of the participating teams, with Houston hosting Games 1, 2, 6 and 7.

The 2021 American Legion World Series champions from Idaho will also be back in the stands, with the team scheduled to visit Atlanta for Game 4 on Oct. 30.

The schedule for the World Series (all games on Fox, all times Eastern):

Game 1: Atlanta at Houston, Oct. 26, 8:09 p.m.

Game 2: Atlanta at Houston, Oct. 27, 8:09 p.m.

Game 3: Houston at Atlanta, Oct. 29, 8:09 p.m.

Game 4: Houston at Atlanta, Oct. 30, 8:09 p.m.

Game 5: Houston at Atlanta, Oct. 31, 8:15 p.m., if necessary.

Game 6: Atlanta at Houston, Nov. 2, 8:09 p.m., if necessary.

Game 7: Atlanta at Houston, Nov. 3, 8:09 p.m., if necessary.