Legion 2016 Review

I don't know how any one cannot be optimistic about the future status of Coleman Pitt Post 58 baseball in 2017.  I has been a frustrating year oh so close to winning each night against the best in the area.  There is one thing we need to remember was the age of this team.  I took each player and without knowing exactly how old each really was I gave each player that graduated in 2016 and gave them an age of 18.  Those graduating in 2017 an age of 17 and graduating in 2018 an age of 16 and even one is not scheduled to graduate until 2019 I gave him 15 years old.

Using that formula this year's team averaged 16.8 years old.  You must remember that this is senior legion and the age of players is 17 and 18.  Our team average was not even old enough to play senior Legion. You would assume then that this team if those eligible to come back we will be much improved just because we will be a year older.

The last ten years travel ball has been the biggest stealer of legion talent  and there are several in this area playing travel ball who have committed to D1 colleges that next summer will not need to showcase themselves as they have already made their college choices.  What they will need to do is play legion to stay in shape for the summer so when they hit their college campus and fall practice starts they will be ready to make an impact for their college teams.

There is no doubt that Rocky Mount legion baseball for the last seven years or more has been kept alive by two men Hank Jones as head coach and Joe Bell as Athletic Officer has been there nine years.  Hank has kept the stadium in playing shape as well as coached the team.  Joe has handled the administrative end  and kept it in order as well as run concessions and what these two have done to keep Legion ball alive in Rocky Mount there is no way those that show up to watch have any idea the work these two have given to Rocky Mount Legion. Because we do  have Legion Field  we have a field that Legion ball has top priority on the field.  Not one team in Wake County can tell you where their next home game will be played.

Times change and Hank has children just getting into the prime of their sports careers heading toward high school.  Every parent doesn't want to miss a minute as their children play sports. Could you blame Hank if he has something more important to him.  Joe's last child graduated high school this year and off to Carolina he will go.  Listening to Pop, Forest probably will not play any baseball while in college and his return to Legion next summer is doubtful.  Could you blame Joe if his interest wanes as his nest at home becomes empty and he and Amy start  to go to the lake more next summer.

I hope both come back.  The Ramsey Brothers Cameron and Spencer have been able assistants to Hank on the field but Joe has had no one helping him on game night.  We need desperately for the future of Legion in Rocky Mount  for someone to step forward and be backups or in training to take over for the day when the lake looks better than the legion field.  If there are no replacements for these two then it doesn't matter how good we could be next year with out the gate being unlocked.

Times change no longer is there a round house down by the railroad tracks where four thousand people worked for the railroad in the Rocky Mount area.  No longer are any cotton mills who provided housing to employees.  Not many people still get a newspaper delivered to their house.  The news is on your computer.  If we don't want it Legion Baseball will die and become a memory until those who were part of it die out and then it will be forgotten.

I started out as a batboy for Ahoskie Post 102 in 1963.  The last ten years legion ball was played in Rocky Mount I have done P A for Post 58.  I surely have a place for legion baseball  in my heart.  I hope someone will step forward for the future and keep it from becoming a memory.  We can't expect Hank and Joe to do it all forever.