American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) | 3,119 followers on LinkedIn. Supporting Coaches Since 1945! 15,000+ members & host of the World’s Largest Baseball Convention. | In 1945, a group of college baseball coaches gathered in New York City to formulate ideas for the promotion and improvement of the collegiate game. Coach Eppy Barnes, Colgate University, and Coach Joe Bedenk, Pennsylvania State University, originated the idea that college baseball needed organization and direction. Prior to 1945, a survey revealed that only one-third of the more than 600 colleges were playing baseball.