The Irby Luquette Endowed Scholarship was established by Luquette's son, Gary Luquette. The scholarship is available each year to Babe Ruth League graduates wishing to further their education beyond high school. The financial assistance the students receive from the Endowment Fund may be applied to their college tuition and/or books. The Endowment Fund strives to promote the pursuit of higher education by alleviating financial barriers.

Irby Luquette of Abbeville, Louisiana, gave 60+ years of dedicated volunteer service to Babe Ruth League.  His love for the games of baseball, especially youth baseball, afforded him the opportunity to coach, mentor, and shape many young boys through his roles as coach, umpire, league official, State Commissioner, Regional Commissioner, Tournament Director, World Series consultant, and casual observer at games played throughout the state.

People who knew him could count on seeing him at the ballpark most days seated in his folding chair near to home plate as much as possible.  Many times, parents of children that benefitted from Irby’s involvement with Babe Ruth League would thank him for his positive impact on their children.  Later in life, Irby was recognized both locally and nationally for his contributions to youth baseball with a ball field named after him in Abbeville, and induction into the Babe Ruth League International Hall of Fame. 

Luquette was the coach of the first Louisiana state championship team when he coached the 1962 Vermilion Babe Ruth team.  Luquette was not only involved with Babe Ruth at state and regional levels but served many terms as a Tournament Director for a multitude of District, State and Regional Tournaments. In 1974, he served on the World Series committee in Abbeville. This was the very first tournament to show a profit, also breaking the record for attendance at that time. In addition, Luquette helped prepare the Abbeville facility for the first Bambino World Series hosted in Louisiana in 1995.

This scholarship is awarded to applicants from the Southwest Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma or Texas).  First consideration is given to students from Louisiana.  If award criteria are not met, consideration will be given to students from the other southwestern states listed.

Irby Luquette passed away on December 25, 2016, and is dearly missed by the entire Babe Ruth family.

To download an application and the scholarship criteria, please click here .

Pictured below (l-r):  Christopher Alex Houeye of Kentwood, LA, Irby Luquette and Shelbi Lane Strickland of Plaquemine, LA.  Christopher and Shelbi were the first recipients of the Irby Luquette Endowed Scholarship.