Which organization controlled amateur sports, such as Little League and North American Baseball Association, in the mid-20th century?

• A. NCAA
• B. AAU
• C. IOC
• D. FIFA

Answer: (B)

Amateur sports in the United States during the mid-20th century were overseen by the Amateur Athletic Union. The AAU acted as the umbrella organization that sanctioned events, set rules, and protected athletes’ amateur status across a wide range of youth and amateur programs, including baseball leagues like Little League and the North American Baseball Association. The NCAA is focused on college athletics, not amateur sports as a whole; the IOC runs the Olympic movement internationally; and FIFA governs soccer worldwide. So the AAU is the organization that historically controlled amateur sports in that era.