The league's promoters hope it will act as a magnet for high-school players, as well as introducing rugby to more students.

ECONOMIST: More and more Americans are being converted to the sport

Coleman said baseball's only hope may be to make some radical changes in youth and high school play.

WSJ: As Baseball Season Beings, Kids Are Losing Interest in the National Pastime

However, Indiana in June had already self-imposed a one-year ban on communication between its basketball coaching staff and Adams, whose A-HOPE Foundation finds often make it to his own Indiana Elite AAU high school team.

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His teenage hope was to become an astronaut, and he pushed himself to be high-school valedictorian to improve his chances.

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