This year for the First time since the inception of baseball by American Legion Post 58 in Rocky Mount they did not field a team this summer. Three players that would have played for P58 went over to play for Wilson Post 13.
Just last week the Rocky Mount Telegram ran an article about the high school scholastic teams are having trouble getting enough players to show up and play game after game. I don't know of any athletic injustice worse than any team that has to forfeit for any reason.
Just think of what happens when a forfeit occurs. All the preparations in practice, even umpires are paid if they arrive on site and no game is played. One team has to travel to get on site and the players of the home team just might have left a summer job early to play in that game. Fans who were planning on enjoying a night of entertainment go home empty.
The past twenty years Babe Ruth baseball has included the 16-18 year old teams. I have no knowledge of how their teams are faring with concern to getting enough players to show up for games.
It is obvious that there are too many different options for those who still want to play baseball by the time they hit 16 years old. Having served Rocky Mount Legion for nine years as the PA announcer plus spending three years in my youth serving as a batboy I want to see Legion survive. It is my opinion that scholastic should be where players receive coaching but what I have seen is is too much show up make out a lineup and play.
So who gives in first? If some changes are not made we might be faced with no summer league ball for any player at least 16 years old.
The one game playoff between Garner and Wilson was not played last night and the reason posted on the Post 13 website was conflict in schedule. I have absolutely no idea what that means or when the game will be played. The one game was to be played to determine seeding in this week's state tournament which starts Friday. I know several people from Rocky Mount rode over to Fleming Sunday night only to find an empty ball park.
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It is very disrespectful to the coaches and volunteers for these forfeits to occur. They put the time and effort in for no or little pay. Many times the parents and players do not respect or acknowledge that these coaches volunteer their time away from family for little or no pay. Coaches get to the point they say "it is not worth it".
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