Notebook: Minnesota American Legion honors baseball pioneer

The Rev. David J. Moran’s contributions to American Legion and American Legion baseball remain evident 80 years after his death.

On Sunday, Sept. 29, he will be inducted into the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame during the Fall Festival at the Church of St. Michael in Farmington, the parish where Moran served. The induction ceremony starts at 2 p.m. at the church (22120 Denmark Avenue) and is open to the public.

Moran was the first Legion baseball director from the Third District and was instrumental in establishing Legion baseball programs in the district and Minnesota, according to a news release from the Minnesota American Legion. The sportsmanship award for the Minnesota Division 1 state Legion tournament is named for him; two years ago, Farmington Post 189 received the award in its first state tourney appearance. In 2024 the Tigers won their first state Legion baseball championship.

Today, Minnesota has one of the highest participation rates for American Legion baseball, which has approximately 3,500 teams nationwide.

Moran was active in other local and statewide American Legion activities and was Post 189’s service officer from 1931 until his death in 1944. The cross from St. Michael’s old church at Fifth and Walnut streets now is at Moran’s grave site in St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery.

The Minnesota American Legion will present a plaque to the Church of St. Michael commemorating Moran’s hall of fame induction.

Maroon and Gold swimming

The Maroon and Gold Invite, one of the top regular-season girls swimming and diving invitationals, will be Saturday, Sept. 28, at the University of Minnesota.

Lakeville North, Lakeville South, Rosemount and Prior Lake are among the teams scheduled to participate. The meet is split into three divisions – Bronze, Maroon and Gold. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

Last year Rosemount finished second to East Ridge in the Maroon division. Lakeville South was fifth, Lakeville North seventh and Farmington 11th in the Maroon.

Mike Shaughnessy can be reached at mike.shaughnessy@apgecm.com.