Taylor Duncan has fought to play baseball, but being autistic has made that difficult.

When he could not find acceptance, Duncan started his own nonprofit called the Alternative Baseball Organization. It offers people with special needs the opportunity to play ball, which is something he talked about on-stage at an Atlanta TEDx event in 2019.

What You Need To Know

  • Taylor Duncan, who is autistic, created his own baseball organization called Alternative Baseball Organization

  • Alternative Baseball operates in dozens of states across the country, including California

  • The focus of the organization is to help special needs athletes grow on and off the field

  • There is no skill level requirement to play Alternative Baseball

Duncan said everyone is welcome to play in these leagues, regardless of skill level.

“We really have a high emphasis on building the friendships, building the social skills and learning how to become motivational leaders in life off the baseball diamond,” he told "Inside the Issues" guest host Ariel Wesler.

Duncan, who is in his late twenties, explained that he has seen how the league he created in 2016 has helped people like himself gain confidence.

“Once a lot of individuals with disabilities graduate from high school, a lot of them have a very hard time finding the services directed to their individual needs because the disabilities’ spectrum is not something that you can fit into a one-size-fits-all box,” he said.

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Duncan is now bringing the league to California, forming teams in Barstow, Pasadena and Orange County.

For more information about Alternative Baseball, visit here.

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Duncan is now bringing the league to California, forming teams in Barstow, Pasadena and Orange County.