Legion Right move or not?

Agree It is about JR. Look at Little E. Trying to live up to dad. Just do the right thing is a that one can ask.

 

This seems to be the same issue that many legion squads face today. Kids are more interested in "whats best for me" than going out and playing with friends and representing your town, and playing for something meaningful and haveing fun. I have had 2 DI recruitng coaches tell me Summer time is Legion Ball. The kids play in pressure situations. Fall Ball is for Travel Ball. No pressure but no where else to see them. But I blame this on the parents!

 

Father or Son decision???

All I ever cared about during my son's baseball playing days was his batting average and his ERA and his fielding percentage and HE never really cared about either one........thankgoodness my son was smarter than me the whole time as right now all he cares about and takes pride in is his GPA. Wow can we Dad's get it wrong or what?

"Watch" and let him play for fun and it will be a better experience after it is all said and done.

 

A sign of the times?

Snow Hill Post 94 Senior Legion team hangs up cleats - disbands!



By Rudy Coggins
Goldsboro News Argus

SNOW HILL -- When James "Rabbit" Fulghum started an American Legion baseball program nearly four decades ago, his plan was to put a competitive -- and formidable -- team on the field.

He succeeded.


A pioneer in his sport, Fulghum's teams at Snow Hill Post 94 progressed and enjoyed continued success. They won several Area I East and Area I championships, and advanced to the state tournament on a few occasions.


However, 34 years later, Snow Hill Post 94 -- a program of dubious distinction -- has disbanded. Fulghum announced he would not return to coach for health reasons and notified current players of the decision during Christmas break.


"It was very hard," said Fulghum. "We kept getting squeezed and squeezed, and it got down to us and Farmville Central as the area to pull (players from).
Then, you had to go out and get releases to pull other people in.


"The concern was getting to the point where you couldn't compete with enough players. I just felt like I couldn't do it another year."


Fulghum missed most of last season due to illness and Post 94 labored to a 10-9 record overall. The team finished in the lower half of the Area I East South Division and failed to reach the playoffs.


A handful of those players are expected to return this summer, but will undoubtedly wear a different uniform. Fulghum said he will the players who wish to continue their Legion careers. They must try out with the team closest to them before they can get released.


Post 94 plans to keep its Junior Legion program in an effort to help cultivate players for Greene Central's perennially-strong high school team. Snow Hill won the 2003 Junior Legion state championship with current head coach Scott Jones.


Fulghum added that showcase ball and other distractions have "watered down" American Legion baseball over the years.

"It takes away from the development of high school programs, I think, too," said Fulghum, a 1981 inductee into the N.C. American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame. "Now, unless you're an exceptional junior, you're going to get left out. I was a pioneer for Legion baseball. I loved it and promoted it."


Snow Hill had rivalries and camaraderie with nearly every other post statewide. Opposing coaches picked Fulghum's brain before and after every game, and took copious notes while watching his many talented teams perform on the field.


Post 94 advanced to the state championship series in 1981 and 1988, falling to Cherryville and Kernersville, respectively. Fulghum guided his 2000 and 2003 squads to the eight-team state tournament, which was the springboard to the Southeast Regionals.


"You just enjoy playing against somebody who you wonder what he's going to do next," said Wayne County Post 11 skipper Brad Reaves. "And it's been a pleasure to coach against someone as knowledgeable and well-thought of like Rabbit is. You always like to sit around before games and talk with him.


"I'm going to miss it."


Snow Hill is the only Area I East team to have a winning record against Wayne County. Reaves teams played Post 94 on an even keel and ousted them from the playoffs a couple of seasons ago.


"I hate to see Rabbit go and hate to see the program fold," said Reaves. "It seems like Legion is fading a little bit and that's a shame. With all the showcase stuff going on ... well ... let's just say I've got my own opinions about a lot of things.


"The Rabbit Fulghums and Doyle Whitfields (former Post 11 coach) don't come along every day. You hate to see them go and you know they're not going to be replaced. Of course, they're going out on their own terms."


Fulghum credited part of Post 94's success to athletic officer Willie Jones, an 1985 inductee in the N.C. American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame.


"Willie is the reason Legion ball survived as long as it did in Snow Hill because he raised all the money," said Fulghum. "He told me 20 years ago that when I decided to get out, he was getting out, too.


"I hate to see it go. But it's something that happens with time."

 

I'm with you. Sound like your kid and mine have alot in common. Great post!

 

Whew

Sounds like somebody needs a nap..................

 

Guess some toes have been stepped on

This sounds either uninformed or jealous to me. I have never ever said which is better BUT I have encouraged kids to play either and both if they get the chance.

 

Don't kid yourself, you can go to some Legion games and see (0) fans, maybe girlfriends for a couple of innings, too. It depends which legion game you go to.

Listen, don't go bashing showcase baseball. There is a place for both. The problem with legion baseball is not the product, it's the fact that Legions are slowly dying away as the old timers are passing away and not being replaced. Many legions are closing and the teams are folding. That has nothing to do with showcasing, that has to do with lack of legion support.

I am a big proponent of American Legion baseball, but not at the expense of knocking other associations (there's summer school teams and leagues, Metro league, etc., etc.) I'm glad kids get an opportunity to play summer baseball period...at whatever level.

I don't know where you get your facts about Showcase expenses, but you are not accurate. There are some showcase teams that are much cheaper than some Legion teams. There are some legion teams that are free and there are some showcase teams that are free. Money should never be the issue when comparing the two.

 

I have just gotten off the phone with my father, a veteran of the Korean War. He has given my son his blessing to play Showcase over Legion. I plan on speaking to friends of mine tomorrow, who were in Vietnam in the '60's, Desert Storm, and my nephews who have just returned from Iraq. Your comment made me realize that I do not say "Thank you" enough to those I personally know who have contributed to our FREEDOM. The same freedom that allows each individual to choose where they want to play their summer ball.

 

Homerun10

From the 2006 summer - 2006 fall - 2007 summer - 2007 fall - 2008 summer - 2008 fall (Dirtbags Players) 51 - ACC / SEC Players - 46 other D-1 programs. Thats correct check for yourself.

Now last year I along with Coach Partin attempted to have a Showcase Team vs Legion Team - Tournement. We could not get anyone to play. I spoke with Coach Partin again tonight. Any Legion teams wanting to play, the Dirtbags are available for competition / they will alter their schedule to accomodate anyone wanting to play.

Homerun10 have your coach or if you are the coach - call or email Andy Partin and set it up. He is waiting for your call. The little rich kids are ready to compete.

Calling out the South Charlotte Panthers like that was uncalled for. They are nothing but class and they are true competitors. But you also called out every kid that plays showcase or ever has. Too bad all these ACC SEC and other college coaches have rosters full of little rich kids that dont want to compete.

Legion baseball in some areas is outstanding. In some other areas it is nothing more than rec baseball. That is indeed a fact.

"How can a player improve that only plays on the weekends?"
Lets see - How about working a job from 8 to 4. Going to the field everyday and running , hitting , fielding , core work , long toss , weight room till around 8pm. Then play games on the weekends and use the money earned at the job to help pay for food and motel costs. And then do it all over again the next weekend.

I would ask you "Is it harder to get better at the game playing almost every night than it is to work out all week and play on the weekends?"

If you have a great legion program and thats what you want to do then thats great. If you dont do something else. If you are good enough to make a quality showcase roster and you want to do that , fine.

Do you own the rights to any player? Since when do you have the right to tell someone else where they should play in the summer?

But if they dont do what you want them to do they are "little rich kids that dont want to compete".

There are some great legion programs in our state. Im glad that people have it and enjoy it. But since when does anyone have a strangle hold on what people can and can not do? Or should or should not do? You do what you feel is best for you. Others can decide for themselves what they want to do.

But hey make the call. Im sure those little rich kids would love a chance to show you if they can compete or not. Waiting for the call ......................