American Legion Baseball Still Vital

The impact of American Legion baseball cannot be understated. Roughly half of the current crop of Major League Baseball players participated in Legion baseball at some point in their careers, and thousands of youths have earned college scholarships, thanks to the exposure that comes with playing Legion ball.

Missouri’s chapter of Legion baseball has a strong pedigree of its own, as players such as Albert Pujols, Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola once suited up for local teams. Gary Stone, the chairman of the Missouri Legion baseball commission, coached Pujols in 1997 and 1998.

“I had the Hi-Boy/Post 340 team out in Independence,” Stone said. “He (Pujols) was a great kid, still is. At least once a year I probably talk to him. He’s still the same kid to me that he was when he played.”

This year, 169 teams are registered for Missouri Legion baseball. Stone estimated that 30 to 40 percent of these teams come from the St. Louis area. That figure is down from the 183 squads that played last year.

Among these squads are the Eureka Legion Senior and Junior teams.

Accomplishments of Eureka Legion Baseball Post No. 177:

'AAA' Varsity

• 2010 District 10 Regular Season and District Tournament Champions
• 2010 Metro East Tournament of Champions - 1st Place (30 Teams)
• 2010 Mountain Home, AR Tournament - 2nd Place
• 2010 Oakville Memorial Day Tournament - Final Four
• Stephen Kohler - 2010 District 10 League Batting Title (.571)
• Patrick Jacobs - 2010 District 10 Pitcher of the Year (8-0, .68 ERA)
• Aaron Vogt - 2010 District 10 League/Team MVP
• Joe Fortner - 2010 District 10 Manager of the Year
  
  

'AA' Junior Varsity

• 2010 District 10 Regular Season and District Tournament Champions
• 2010 Washington, MO Memorial Day Tournament - 1st Place
• 2010 Dyersburg, TN Tournament - Final Four
  
  

'A' Freshman

• 2010 STATE CHAMPIONS
• 2010 District 10 Tournament Champions
• 2010 Parkview, MO Tournament - 1st Place
  
  

Gary Stone has been involved in Legion baseball for nearly 30 years. He said that the organization helps to keep youths accountable by asking them to abide by certain ethics rules. If a player breaks one of these rules, he is no longer allowed to be a part of the program.

Additionally, Stone said that Legion baseball gives young men the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of college coaches and pro scouts.

“A lot of these kids think they’re going to sign major league contracts. It’s very rare,” Stone said. “But a lot of them do get help with their educational funding. That’s my main thing. Give them that opportunity to help with the cost of college.

“We stress to them that you might get a scholarship and go to college, but you need to understand that you have to keep your grades up or you can’t play in college. We try to emphasize that the baseball is important, but you need to keep your scholastic achievements up, too, or it doesn’t matter how good you are.”