Interview: Taylor Duncan and the Alternative Baseball Organization

Taylor Duncan, a 21-year-old Georgia native, is making big moves in the best way through the Alternative Baseball Organization.

Taylor Duncan isn’t your average 21-year-old. Duncan was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4 and has set out to prove the stereotypes wrong ever since. In 2016, Duncan founded the Alternative Baseball Organization where he serves as the Commissioner and Director.

Duncan started the Alternative Baseball Organization in early 2016 after being excluded from several baseball leagues due to his disability. The ABO invites teens and adults with autism and other special needs to come and play the sport they know and love without judgment.

"The purpose of this free-to-join program is to provide a social outlet, as well as to give them a place to compete for fun, and for them to improve their baseball and softball skills. In short, the program has the mindset of an endless pursuit to not only take on new challenges, but to break social and physical barriers. This includes participation in practices with drills tailored to each individual participant by ability."

The ABO was a huge success in its inaugural season. The Atlanta International Umpires Association volunteered their umpires for every game, a partnership they hope to keep in the future. Local retired and current MLB players also came out to show their support.

Duncan hopes to expand the ABO nationally and internationally, as special needs affect people globally. Duncan thinks that everyone should be able to live out their dream no matter the circumstance and lives by the quote, “To me, autism is not a disability. It is simply a disadvantage.”

For more information on the Alternative Baseball Organization and to donate visit www.alternativebaseball.org.