Delray Beach Little League: A Diamond Legacy at Pompey Park
- FMBA STAFF
- Apr 19
- 2 min read
Tucked away in the heart of Delray Beach, Florida, there’s a field where love, legacy, and leather gloves still meet. For over 50 years, Yvonne and Eddie “Red” Odom have been the heartbeat of the Delray Beach Little League — a grassroots gem where Black baseball lives, breathes, and thrives. Nestled at Pompey Park, this league isn’t just about hits and homers — it’s about heritage, hope, and holding the line for the next generation.
In a world where Black representation in baseball has hit a steady decline — with Black players making up less than 7% of MLB rosters in 2023 and even fewer Black head coaches at the collegiate level — Delray Beach Little League has remained a bold outlier. It is the last reputable, Black-led youth baseball program in the entire tri-county area. That’s not just rare. That’s revolutionary.
For decades, this league has been challenging the status quo. It’s provided safe space, serious skill-building, and soul to the sport for kids ages 4 to 17. And at the center of it all has been Coach Red. Eddie Odom — a living legend — has dedicated his life to making sure little boys become solid young men, one pitch at a time. His motto? “Do something with a bat, a ball, and a glove every day.” It’s not just advice. It’s a lifestyle.
In 2024, the Florida Minority Baseball Alliance honored Coach Red with the Diamond Legacy Award at the annual Inside the Diamondceremony, recognizing him as a pioneer who didn’t just keep score — he changed the game. Through his leadership, countless boys found direction, discipline, and identity in a sport that has long overlooked their presence.
When you get a moment, take a field trip to Pompey Park. You’ll feel the energy buzzing before you even hit the gate. The pop of the mitt. The crack of the bat. The laughter, the hustle, the love. It’s not just a baseball field — it’s a cultural landmark. It’s where tradition lives and where futures are shaped.
We salute the Odoms — Mrs.Yvonne and Coach Red — for turning a diamond into a beacon. Delray Beach Little League isn’t just surviving. It’s thriving. And as long as that red clay keeps getting kicked up, Black baseball has a home in South Florida.
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