Founded in 2006 by filmmaker John Fitzgerald, The Baseball United Foundation was originally called Emerald Diamond USA. The original goal of the organization was to raise money in the US for youth baseball programs in Ireland that Fitzgerald learned about during the production of the documentary film “The Emerald Diamond.”

The organization changed its name to The Baseball United Foundation to reflect a wider goal – to unite communities through baseball – and to act as the non-profit arm of The Baseball United Network.