History: Little League Baseball Comes to Maurice

By Lester Gauthier and David Trahan

Growing up in the rural heart of South Louisiana during the mid to late 1950s, Little League Baseball in Maurice was more than just a sport—it was a crucial part of the community. With few organized activities for boys aged 9 to 12, baseball became their world. The dusty baseball diamonds of small towns like Maurice provided an escape from daily chores, and the camaraderie formed on those fields taught valuable lessons of teamwork, discipline, and resilience. The crack of the bat and cheers from the spectators filled summer days, creating memories that would last a lifetime. For many, Little League Baseball in Maurice was more than just a game—it was the foundation of their childhood.

The Beginnings of Little League Baseball in Vermilion Parish

Baseball holds a rich history in Vermilion Parish, particularly with the formation of the Little League Association in Abbeville in 1953, just three years after the national organization was formally filed.

A group of fathers in Abbeville initiated the move to bring Little League Baseball to the area. By March of 1953, they met at a District Little League meeting in Alexandria to formally organize the Abbeville Little League Association. Present at the meeting was Carl E. Stotz, the founder of Little League Baseball from Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Dudley Young became the first president of the newly formed Abbeville Little League Association.

The league adhered to the same rules as professional baseball but was designed for boys aged 9 to 12. Teams were restricted to 18 players, with only 12 in uniform, and no more than six players aged 12 were allowed on a team. Strict pitching rules limited players to 9 innings per week.

Sponsors in Abbeville supported the teams by providing funds for uniforms and top-quality equipment. The teams and their managers included:

• Stauffer Red Sox: O’Neil Hebert
• Union Oil’s Indians: Carl Smith
• Louisiana State Cubs: David Mouton
• Meridional Yankees: Willie Lutgring

The Little League Association was founded on principles of sportsmanship, loyalty, and good citizenship, aiming to teach young players valuable life lessons alongside baseball.

Little League Baseball Comes to Maurice

For Maurice, the journey to Little League Baseball began in 1955 in the neighboring town of Leroy. Reule Landry, a rice farmer, and Jules Duhon, the basketball coach at Indian Bayou High School, were pivotal in bringing Little League Baseball to the area. With the help of Father Harold Denais, pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, they secured a field behind the church for the boys to play on. Father Denais generously provided the land, allowing young players a proper baseball field to practice and compete.

That same year, Reule Landry and Jules Duhon formed the Leroy Giants, a team that played by Little League rules but was not officially part of the Abbeville Little League Association. The team’s first full season of competition was in 1955. The roster of players, many of whom hailed from Maurice and Leroy, included:

Front Row (Left to Right):

• Charles Duhon (2nd base), Raywood Baudoin (right field), Danny Baudoin (center field), Rodney Broussard (catcher), Daniel Broussard (left field), Kenneth Landry (3rd base), Carey Landry (pitcher, shortstop),

Second Row (Left to Right):

• Allen Foreman (right field), Jude Duhon (right field), Louis Broussard (1st base), Norris Schexnaider (left field), Charles Hebert (center field), Sammy Picard (shortstop),

Back Row (Left to Right):

• Coach Reule Landry, Ennis Schexnaider (left field), Lorris Schexnaider (catcher), Jerome Landry (1st base), Manager Jules Duhon

This team played by Little League rules, even though they were not officially part of the Abbeville Little League Association. The Leroy Giants hoped to join a Little League association forming in Kaplan as part of a plan to create a Parish Little League that would include teams from Indian Bayou, Erath, Perry, Henry, and Maurice.

By 1957, some of the original players remained, and new players joined the team. Many of the older boys moved on to play Babe Ruth Baseball in Abbeville. The team continued to grow, providing young boys in the Maurice and Leroy areas the chance to experience the joys and challenges of Little League Baseball.

The Formation of Maurice Giants

It’s a special feeling for the friends and families of those who played during this time to remain connected to their loved ones’ legacy. Many of the players from the Leroy Giants went on to become leaders in the Leroy and Maurice communities and beyond.

While not officially part of the Abbeville Little League, the Leroy Giants followed Little League rules and aimed to join a formal Little League association in Kaplan, which was considering forming its own organization. There was a broader ambition to create a “Parish” Little League that would unite teams from Indian Bayou, Erath, Perry, Henry, and Maurice.

By 1957, some of the original players from the Leroy Giants remained, while others moved up, with many older players advancing to Babe Ruth Baseball in Abbeville. The 1957 roster included:

• Carey Landry, Norman Duhon, Percy Broussard, Cecil Hebert, Daniel Broussard, Charles Hebert, Mackery Guidry, Roland Simon, Connie Landry, Terry Broussard, Robert Trahan, Ray Trahan, Glenn Landry, Ray Hebert, Larry Broussard

These boys represented a diverse cross-section from the upper Vermilion Parish region.

1958-1959: The Formation of the Maurice Giants

In 1958-1959, Robert “Mr. Bob” Trahan and Wilbert “Mr. Wil” Broussard led the effort to organize the Maurice Little League team. Many of the boys who had played for the Leroy Giants signed up for the Maurice Giants, as the team was closer to their homes. As the story goes, Mr. Bob approached Reule Landry, coach and manager of the Leroy team, to negotiate the purchase of the team’s baseball gear, including the jerseys and team name. The Leroy Giants officially became the Maurice Giants.

Maurice Giants: A Dominant Force in Youth Baseball

With several standout players from the original Leroy team, along with new recruits from Maurice, the Maurice Giants quickly became one of the most dominant forces in youth baseball. By 1959, the Abbeville Little League had eight teams, with only the Erath Bobcats and the Maurice Giants representing towns outside of Abbeville. That same year, the Maurice Giants went on to win the league championship.

Expulsion from Abbeville Little League and Formation of Bayou Boys League

The dominance of teams from outside of Abbeville may have created some tension within the Abbeville Little League Organization, leading to the expulsion of non-Abbeville teams. This action prompted the creation of a new parish-wide organization known as the Bayou Boys Little League Program, which welcomed teams from across Vermilion Parish.

Maurice Giants Players Continue to Shine

Several standout players from the Maurice Giants advanced to play in the A. A. Comeaux Babe Ruth League in Abbeville. In 1962, the Abbeville Babe Ruth Baseball team won the Louisiana State Championship, claiming victory in three challenging games at the tournament in Houma, Louisiana. This was the first state championship won by a baseball team from Abbeville. The team advanced to the regional tournament in Farmington, New Mexico, a memorable trip that provided the players and coaches with an excellent learning experience. Although they were eliminated after losses to Farmington and Austin, Texas, the team left a lasting impression for their sportsmanship, even in defeat.

The 1962 Babe Ruth Team: Maurice Players Making History

The 1962 Babe Ruth team included several players from Maurice:

• Robert Trahan (team captain & catcher), Cordell Dartez (pitcher), Ray Hebert (pitcher), Rickey Broussard (shortstop)

Other team members included:

• Bethel Dyson, Jimmy Buchanan, Paul “Bubba” Trahan, Billy Dubois, Clyde Webb, Allen Lee “Skippy” Pierce, Julian Hinekley, Glenn Suire, Wayne Meaux, Terry Segura, Daniel Bourgeois, Sanford Suire (bat boy)

Robert Trahan of Maurice was the season’s leading batter and the tournament’s standout player.

Baseball Returns to Maurice High School in the 1970s

In the mid-1970s, baseball returned as a sport at Maurice High School, and at that time, it was the only active high school baseball program in Vermilion Parish. Willie Broussard’s son, Garrett, was a standout player who organized and coached the first Maurice High team. In 1975, the Maurice High baseball team competed in the Class C championship, where they were runners-up to Ecole Classique of New Orleans. Willie Broussard’s son and author, Lester Gauthier’s brother, Martin Gauthier, also played on that team.

A newspaper article dated March 6, 1975, reported that Abbeville High School, Meaux High School, and E. Broussard High School were following Maurice’s lead in reintroducing baseball to their schools after a 10-year absence. Abbeville Wildcats, once regular state contenders, were making their return to the sport.

Preserving the History of Little League Baseball in Maurice

We hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into the rich history of Little League Baseball in Maurice. The stories of determination, community spirit, and dreams of emulating Major League icons continue to resonate with us. If you have any photos or stories from those early Little League baseball days, we would love to hear from you. Please send your stories and photos to david@mauricetoday.com, and we will gladly add them to this story. Let’s preserve and celebrate this remarkable chapter of our community’s heritage together.