Ballplayers Helping Ballplayers Since 1924 The official page of the APBPA. Ball Players Helping Ball Players since 1924. The Association was formed in 1924, when 12 former players met up and determined there was a need to take care of the less fortunate members of their profession. From these beginnings, our Association has grown to over 100,900 members, we have helped over 3500 ballplayers with total assistance rendered in excess of $5,000,000. Our mission is to furnish financial assistance to the sick or indigent ball player when he becomes of an age when he is no longer able to provide for himself and has no other source of income. This also includes any ball player who may contract an incurable disease, irrespective of age, who has no other source of income or relatives to provide for him. We are proud to provide emergency assistance for a broad range of circumstances one may encounter in their life.