TAYLOR CLARK DUNCAN

Taylor Duncan (originally from Dallas, Georgia) is the CEO/President and Chief Fun Officer of the Alternative Baseball Organization. Duncan was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4. Due to the autism, he experienced speech issues, sensory issues, anxiety issues, and social stigma as a result of the developmental delays. Coaches often wouldn't give him the chance to play the game of baseball as a child due to preconceived ideas of what one with autism can and cannot do. 

Through the years with the help from his parents, teachers, mentors, and God, Duncan was finally deemed ready to play in a typical youth baseball league at the age of 12 and played one full season. Along the way, he strove to learn everything he could about America's Pastime.

The following year, a new coach took over and deemed Taylor an injury risk, cutting him from the team. Even though those were his circumstances, the young man did not give up. Throughout time, he continued to work on his mechanics and skills. In 2012, due to the lack of available baseball programs in the area, he turned to play slowpitch softball for a local church league squad. Because he told the coach he has autism, he was often benched during games and rarely saw any playing time. This, to him, was unacceptable as he wanted to strive to be the best he could be. This drove him to recruit players and establish his own team. Then in 2013, he took his newly established team to the championship game in the league's playoffs.

In 2014, he continued to seek the help from the best players in the sports of baseball and slowpitch to help him refine his mechanics and skills.  He attended Spring Training with the Pro's in Kissimmee, Florida and received one-on-one training from various players in other locations. After going through many highs, lows, successes, and disappointments, he founded the Alternative Baseball Organization as a developmental baseball program to pass down his learning experiences to others on the spectrum and with other special needs.

Since starting Alternative Baseball, Taylor’s been featured on over 400+ national and local media outlets across the United States of America and beyond!

HONORS:

Georgia House of Representatives - Commemorated, House Resolution 1420 (March 8, 2018)

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame - J.B. Hawkins Humanitarian Award

Atlanta Braves - Commemorated as a “Community Hero” on April 18, 2019.

Charter Spectrum News (North Carolina) - Showcased as an “Everyday Hero” during a news segment on Spectrum News Charlotte.

Toastmasters International (Toastmasters of West Georgia)

- Competent Communicator, July 18, 2017

- Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze, April 14, 2018

- Advanced Communicator Bronze, June 28, 2018

- Triple Crown (for receiving 3 or more awards during a fiscal year

- Elected the local club’s Vice President of Public Relations (2017-2018)