What started as a dream over a decade ago has blossomed into a booming baseball empire. Channel 2′s Luke Hetrick visited Paulding County where one man promises America’s pastime is for everyone.
“Years ago I wanted to play with the Braves. I wanted to play with the likes of Chipper Jones, with [Tom] Glavine and [John] Smoltz,” Taylor Duncan said.
Duncan was born for the big leagues. Life threw him a curveball.
“There weren’t many opportunities to get involved locally on the youth level to participate as I got older because of the developmental delays that I had, because of my autism diagnosis,” he said.
“I was told I’d be an injury risk on more than one occasion. Safety hazard, injury risk, yada yada. I heard just about every excuse in the book.”
Like any good hitter, Duncan changed his approach.
“It was one group of five or six individuals and we got out on that field and started practicing. And I just said, ‘OK, let’s see what we can do,’” he said.
“I don’t say no to creativity. I don’t say no to innovation,” he added.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
What formed was the Alternative Baseball Organization, aka ABO. It’s an authentic baseball experience for teens and adults with autism and other exceptionalities.
“If this pushes us in a direction that benefits more and more people, then man let’s go head first forward with it. There’s no reason to give them to same excuse that was given to me,” Duncan told Hetrick.
No excuses. Just execution. ABO has more than 25 programs nationwide.
“Baseball is just a vehicle. The end goal is a better world for all of us to live in when it’s time for us to go home and leave it behind,” Duncan said.
A future through America’s pastime was put on hold in April 2024. Taylor on the diamond in Panama City faced his life’s toughest pitch yet.
“I kept feeling this pain that was sort of radiating. And then I felt like something happened in my shoulder. Two weeks later, after Panama City game was over, the pain not only returned, but it was more intense,” he said. “They say, ‘OK, you got walking pneumonia.’ And then before I could get the medications in my system, that’s when they say, well, not only has it worsened, but it’s also sepsis pneumonia now.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Pace Academy hires former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon as new head coach
- NY Yankees drop long-standing no beard rule, will allow groomed facial hair
- ESPN and Major League Baseball will end their national television deal
For two weeks, Duncan battled, but this was part of a family fight.
“You had myself in room 519 and my grandmother, who was dying from dementia at that point, was in room 527.”
Shirley Leggette died one week after Duncan was discharged from the hospital.
“I knew that she was upstairs and with her and with God pretty much anything for me could be possible.”
A year later, curveballs and all, Taylor is still swinging.
“There’s no I in team. It’s not just myself. It’s a collective of people who believe in the mission,” he said.
The man born for the big leagues created his own. One that’s deeper than any home run.
“It isn’t just baseball for us and that’s one of the biggest highlights. The realization that we’re in it to provide a better future for those with disabilities.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
