Post 52 American Legion Baseball News from KTLO Radio

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INDIANAPOLIS, July 17, 2006 - Helping the Cardinals win their seventh game in a row is not the only honor that Albert Pujols brought to his team last weekend. In a pre-game ceremony on Saturday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Pujols was presented The American Legion Baseball Graduate of the Year Award.

The award is presented to the professional baseball player who played American Legion Baseball as a teenager, and who best exemplifies the principals and purposes of that program. This award is based upon the individual's citizenship, leadership, sportsmanship, general good conduct, integrity and playing ability.

Homer Dickmann, Missouri Legion Baseball Chairman and Gary Stone, Pujols' American Legion Baseball coach, were on hand to make the presentation.

Pujols, who became the first player in baseball history to bat .300 with 30 home runs, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in each of his first two seasons, played American Legion Baseball for Post 340 in Independence, Mo. In that two-year span, Pujols played in 122 games, hit 79 home runs and had 249 RBIs.

This award is based on playing ability, on the player’s individual character, leadership and community service work.

According to National Commander Tom Bock, the star infielder is a proven role model, both on and off the baseball diamond.

“Most remarkably, after his first year in Legion Baseball, Albert was approached by several traveling teams in the Kansas City area to quit his Legion team and join their program,” Bock said. “This young man chose instead to honor his commitment to his Legion teammates.”

Pujols’ charity work includes starting an annual golf outing to raise funds for the Greater St. Louis Down’s Syndrome Association. The annual golf outing became the basis for establishing a family foundation with his wife Dee Dee. In May of this year, his family foundation awarded $50,000 to the Greater St. Louis Down’s Syndrome Foundation as well as $50,000 to a special children’s orphanage.

Pujols and his family annually deliver teddy bears to children at the Cardinal Glennon Hospital.

He is an All Star performer on the field also. Three times he has won the Silver Slugger award. Pujols has worn the Cardinals uniform at five All Star games he has participated in.

He is also the reigning National League’s Most Valuable Player.

For the past 51 years, The American Legion has honored a former American Legion player who exemplifies the principles and goals of service to the community, state and nation. Some of the previous winners of this award include Steve Carlton, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, Johnny Bench, Al Kaline, Brooks Robinson, Carlton Fisk, George Brett, Roger Clemens, Paul Molitor, Ryne Sandberg and Dave Winfield.

Two former Hall of Fame Cardinals have received this award - Stan Musial in 1961, and Steve Carlton in 1971.

Brooks Robinson signing autographs at Cooper Park, June 14, 2006

The 2006 Twin Lakes Classic American Legion Baseball Tournament (June 14-18) kicked off with a special visit from National Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. His busy first day included an invitation-only luncheon at Big Creek, followed later that evening by an autograph session at Cooper Park. About 500 fans came out for the event. Mr. Robinson signed 400 free baseballs, posed for pictures, high-fived kids and talked to each and every person. His talk to the crowd highlighted his start in baseball on an American Legion team in Little Rock, along with his long-time friend and fellow Legion player, Dr. Robert Nosari (at left in photo). Bob Taylor, baseball commissioner for the Department of Arkansas, also spoke and described our Mountain Home baseball program as the best in the State. A few years ago we were voted the best program in a five-state area.

All 24 teams in the tournament were Legion Post-sanctioned teams; they came from Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Kansas, Illinois and Tennessee. Our Lockeroom team narrowly lost its first pool game and then just as narrowly won its second. However, for the first time in our 20-year history, the Saturday games were rained out, and when the pool winners were selected by a complicated formula, we were eliminated by one run. Canceling the Saturday games at all three fields and not having the local team play its usual Saturday night game cut substantially into our income, but we will do all right. The Bryant (AR) team won the tournament and is 17-1 for the season. The Christian Brothers team from Tennessee came in second, with Eureka (MO) third and Little Rock Post 1 taking fourth.

A question was raised at a Post meeting as to whether the Legion was getting enough publicity from this program, now that the tournament has been renamed the “Brooks Robinson Lockeroom Twin Lakes Classic Tournament.” In my opinion, taking into account the guest speakers, the posters, signs, T-shirts, souvenir programs, radio ads and broadcasts, newspaper publicity, TV coverage and even the bat boys’ helmets, our Post and the Legion in general have received an incredible amount of advertising. Also, the 501(c)3 governing Board for our two local teams has "American Legion Baseball" in its corporate name. Four Post 52 Legionnaires serve on the Board of Directors (President, Secretary and two board members).

In addition, Mickey Huskey of the Lockeroom is the Department of Arkansas District Commissioner for the Legion.

The Legion Baseball Board recently bought a used Ford diesel 28-passenger bus in excellent condition to replace the last of our big, hard-to-repair Golden Eagle type buses. When we sell the big one and hold our next Texas Hold-Em tournament in February, we expect to have the new bus paid for. Our coaches say that the built-in TV keeps the players quite content on the long trips to ball games.

Rod MacLeod, President
American Legion Baseball Association, Inc.

DID YOU KNOW … ?

July 17, 1925: The American Legion Baseball program was created. Today, more than 60 percent of professional baseball players are graduates of The American Legion Baseball program. About 89,000 high-school-age youths play on Legion-sponsored teams each year.

May 2006

For the benefit of those who may be new to the area, The American Legion Baseball Association, Inc., is a separate 501(c)3 corporation set up to run our two Mountain Home Legion Baseball teams — The Lockeroom and Hopper Termite teams. The Board of Directors has four Legion members and six non-Legion members. The program is funded by the sponsors, the Legion Post, ticket sales, concession stand sales, and various fundraisers — including Christmas tree sales, pie and cake auctions, and the recent “Texas Holdem” tournament.

In 1997 our Lockeroom team took the State championship. Our teams play other Legion teams in northeast Arkansas, plus non-conference teams such as Harrison and West Plains. We also play in various tournaments. Our own tournament is the Twin Lakes Classic, played each Father’s Day weekend. This June will be the 20th annual Classic, with 28 teams from four or more states playing at Cooper Park, Twin Lakes Park, Cotter and Gassville. Hall of Famer and Arkansas baseball legend Brooks Robinson will appear at an autograph party and throw out the first pitch at the Classic.

This tournament brings a thousand visitors to the area and about $1.5-million in income to area businesses. Our Legion teams are responsible for a lot of newspaper and radio publicity for the Post. The Post also funds the $500 Mary Lou Dailydas scholarship, named for a former Post 52 Commander. This will be the tenth year to award this baseball scholarship to a deserving young athlete from this area.

Come out and see some of these great baseball games sanctioned and sponsored by Post 52.

Rod MacLeod