NYS Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, Derrick Legall Reflects on his Impact

Saratoga Springs Little League president, Derrick Legall, will be inducted into the class of 2026 New York State Baseball Hall of Fame in November. Naturally, one’s first question is: when did you start playing baseball?

“It’s funny you ask that question. Really, growing up, I did not play a lot of baseball, I played soccer,” said Legall. “But I got involved with baseball when my son started playing, so that’s where my passion for the game came in.”

Legall, as is the case of many fathers, stepped in to coach his son’s little league team in 2002. But when his son reached early adolescence, Legall put down the whistle and clip board.

“He needed somebody else to coach [him] because he doesn’t listen to me. It [was] time for somebody else to coach him,” Legall reflected. 

However, Legall saw the ability of the program to bring the community together, leading to him joining the board of directors and eventually be elected president.

“Back then it used to be the East side and the West side. We used to have what’s called the Mayor’s Cup at the end of every season. I got involved because it was a big community event and I wanted to keep that tradition.” 

During his more than two-decade tenure as president, Legall’s most overtly transformative project was the renovation of West Side Recreation Park—an effort accomplished entirely without taxpayer dollars. 

While installing the field lights alone reached the six-figure mark, the project was successfully funded through fundraising and donations from community institutions. Similarly, the concession stand required funding only for its materials, as a local builder donated the construction labor entirely.

Yet, for all the physical transformation of the park, Legall considers the Challenger Program to be his most enduring legacy

“There was not any program for these kids that are challenged, mentally and physically, to get involved in a sport. We started the Challenger program and that program is in its fourteenth year. To me, that was the proudest of our moments. We gave kids an opportunity to play sports, become team members, and have fun,” said Legall. 

Legall embodies a community champion, someone who is called to serve others. Alas, Legall does not cherish the spotlight; he even was hesitant about the focus of this article. Because, for Legall, nothing should divert our attention from what is paramount: our future.

“I believe that we have to invest in our future, and our future is our kids. If we are not investing in our kids, then who is going to do it? My goal in life has always been, if I can reach one child, then my mission has been accomplished,” said Legall.

When asked about what it means to be selected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame he said,

“First of all, I’m humble. It has been a passion of mine to invest in our youth of the city, and to make sure I leave a legacy where they are much stronger and know that this community means a lot to them. I truly believe this community cares about kids, we just don’t hear about it and see it enough.”

Legall, along with 15 other inductees in the class of 2026, will be commemorated on Sunday, November 22, in Troy.