WACO, Texas — President George W. Bush, the first commander in chief to play Little League baseball, is now the namesake for the organization's Southwest Region Headquarters.

Little League made the announcement Wednesday. The world's largest youth sports organization maintains six year-round baseball and softball training facilities nationally. The Waco facility serves Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

The facility's 2,000-seat stadium is the site of the annual Southwest Region Tournament. The winner advances to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Bush played Little League in Midland in the 1950s. He and first lady Laura Bush invited Little League teams to the South Lawn of the White House all eight summers he was in office. The Tee Ball on the South Lawn program included more than 500 children from all 50 states.