American Legion Minnesota Division I Tournament

Volume 16, No. 1 G Cahaskaz, Minen. tte Friday, Aug. 3, 2012

KTome Klelly, ywho mkanaeged ythe nMinnoesota teoppsortu nitDies.” ivision I BTahe Lnegioqn bausebalel cotmmittee honored Twins to two World Championships, had some Kelly said he was not a role model, and the several people with annual awards. words of baseball advice to the 300 players players should look to their parents for best role Eden Valley and Watkins posts were named gathered for the Minnesota American Legion models. “Do you remember who drove you to Post of the Year, and Doug Schuette of Division I Tournament. all those Little League games, soccer games Brownton was named Coach of the Year. “You have to get after it, you have to make and the rest?” The two Graduates of the year were Mike it a passion,” Kelly told the annual banquet, He also advised the players to respect the Halloran of Edina and Charley Walters of held this year at Chaska High School. game, and he recalled one time that his father Minneapolis Edison. Halloran is the only per - Kelly said he played Legion ball back in the wouldn’t take him to a game because he hadn’t son to be named the most valuable player at the 1960s. He said, in those days, it would be nor - packed the shoe polish for his cleats. Legion World Series and then come back and mal to play five games on Saturday and “My father said, ‘If you’re not going to do any - coach a team to the championship (Eden Prairie Sunday. thing good, you should at least look good try - this past year). Walters is a sports columnist for He challeged the players to give it every - ing to do it.” the St. Paul Pioneer Press. thing they’ve got. “Are you just there? Or are Marney Gellner of Fox Sport North was the Ron Beckman, the coach at Jordan, the win - you playing the game? We don’t get that many emcee for the banquet program. ner of several state and regional titles, was named to the Legion’s Baseball Hall of Fame. State Baseball Director Darwin Berg, who will be retiring after this tournament, was hon - 16 teams gather to do battle ored with a special plaque by Department The 86th Division I American Legion 4. Edina, 98 Commander Chuck Kruger. Baseball tournament gets underway today at 5. Eden Prairie, 77 The banquet kicks off the annual Legion four fields near and in Chaska. 6. Grand Rapids, 53 tournament. The audience watched a moving The tourney will feature 16 teams from 7. Hopkins, 45 video on veterans that was produced by the Minnesota’s 10 baseball districts competing in 8. Lakeville North, 44 Chaska Middle School. a double-elimination format. 9. Excelsior, 29 There will be 16 games the first day, and 10. Waite Park, 19 action will continue through the weekend. The 11. New Ulm Gold, 17 championship game will be at Athletic Park in 12. Bemidji, 15 Chaska on Monday in a 2 p.m. game. 13. Winona, 9 The teams that play for the championship 14. Alexandria, 7 game will both advance to the Legion’s Central 15. Coon Rapids, 5 Plains Regional in Dickinson, N.D., and the 15. North St. Paul, 5 winner of that tournament will advance to the 15. Maple Grove, 5 World Series in Shelby, North Carolina. 18. Fergus Falls, 4. The final American Legion Baseball 19. Minneapolis Giantvalley, 3 experts’ poll had Eastview on top, replacing 20. Lakeville South, 1 Burnsville in the final week. 20. Monticello, 1 Eden Prairie, last year’s National 20. Richfield, 1 Champions, came into this tourney rated 5th by But once the first pitch is thrown, the poll the poll. means little. The state champion will be decid - 1. Eastview, 143 ed on the field. The bracket format has been 2. Burnsville, 130 changed this year to allow more teams to stay 3. Tri-City Red, 114 in the tourney longer. TOM KELLY