About the
FLORIDA DIAMOND CLUB…
It is our pleasure to introduce you to the Florida Diamond Club. Our mission as a non-profit organization is to promote baseball in the state of Florida, heighten the overall awareness of baseball as “The National Pastime”, and provide an environment where baseball is the main focus for players, scouts, coaches and fans. We welcome all from the scholastic, collegiate, amateur and professional levels.
Our roots are the professional scouts who in 1972 founded The Florida Scout’s Association. Their objective then, as is ours’ today, was to promote this great game at all levels within the state of Florida. That original group held their annual meeting at the former Edgewater Hotel in St. Petersburg and baseball people from all around the state converged to watch baseball, renew friendships and share ideas. Personnel from all levels joined in the camaraderie and lifelong friendships were cemented. In 1979 the Florida Scout’s Association was restructured as the Florida Diamond Club and keeping with the vision of the founding members, involvement and membership was encouraged from professional scouts, amateur coaches, parents of players and fans. It would remain the best venue in the state for anyone with an interest in baseball to unite for the greater advancement of the game. Today we have over 130 members, and of course…base is still the main focus.
The MLB scouts who started the Florida Diamond Club were George Digby, Dale Jones, Birdie Tebbetts, Walt Widmeyer and George Zuraw. In 2000 these men were honored for their great contributions to scouting and the FDC as the inaugural members of The Florida Scouts Hall of Fame. We recognize and thank these baseball scouts for their wisdom to initiate an organization that has been so productive in the baseball community.
This event would not be possible hand it not been for the vision of these scouts.
Today, the Florida Diamond Club’s primary activity is the annual Diamond Club Showcase Weekend. The event is the oldest and most prestigious high school showcase in the state of Florida. Since 1972, this event has consistently provided the very best arena for young players to demonstrate their talents and abilities before legions of area scouts, supervisors, crosscheckers and scouting directors. College coaches from all over the southeastern United States also find this event very beneficial for recruitment. Over the years, hundreds of soon to be Major League Draft selections have participated in the Florida Diamond Club Showcase. The 2019 FDC was no different as 17 players were selected in the 2020 Major League Baseball Rule 4 Selection Meeting. The distinction of playing in the Florida Diamond Club Showcase is unmatched by any other event.
Membership in the Florida Diamond Club is open to and available to all. We welcome all baseball people who would like to join and become part of a great Florida baseball tradition. We thank you for your interest and look forward to another successful Diamond Club Showcase Weekend in 2021.