American legion state baseball tournament

[turntwo]

I'm hearing that the state is moving the American legion state baseball tourney out of Athens this year. If this is true I'm betting it's due to the lack of cooperation from Ohio university. Some money numbers I hear that this tourney generated to the Athens area was around 400 grand. Hope it's not true !!

[swbaseballfan]

i'd say it is because "no one is stepping on my field"

[BULDOG]

IMO... Move it to Chilli and the VA. Rain would not be much of an issue and that place is an outstanding setting. Also with Unioto, Adena, Zane Trace and Ross County park nearby plenty of fields to play on that would match the quality in Athens. Also its more centralized as well. In sure that Chilli and the VA could use the money this tourney would bring in.

[swbaseballfan]

^^ i agree 100%

[QBear]

Ross county = baseball county

[Orange and Brown]

I hope it stays in Athens county. That is one of my favorite things to do every year. I take a week off and watch baseball all day long.

[bengalfan76]

This year it will be held in Lancaster.

[cooperstown]

Right you are

[BULDOG]

I hope it stays in Athens county. That is one of my favorite things to do every year. I take a week off and watch baseball all day long.

IMO, you can probably thank Coach Carbone for the move. A baseball field is meant to play baseball on and I'm sure the Legion pays big bucks to lease it for the weekend. I think someone needs a reality check.

[bulldog0909]

Does this mean they will only play at beavers field? or is their others in the area?

[SENDEM]

They will have to have more than 1 field if its like the last few year in athens.

[Steely Dan]

I'm surprised that it has taken the Legion this long to say enough is enough.

The Legion folks in Athens, as well as the coaches of the Athens legion team, have worked their asses off to make this a great tournament......HOWEVER,

Keeper of Wren stadium has been less than supportive of the Legion tournament, for jesus, I can't remember how long. Seems like every time a game was supposed to be played in "Wren" stadium, well.............

Things became PRETENTIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least from an OU perspective.

Great job guys. I guess Wren Stadium is the friggin' holy grail of college baseball and an absolute baseball mecca.

Now we get a little bleeding (aka information) about the economic impact of the loss of the tournament, and guess what? No body home from OU to answer to this debacle..........

Big surprise.......Nice job Coach Carbone, and your cronies at OU. Big blow to the Athens economy, with absolutely no accountability to you and your crew for the negative economic impact that the county is now going to experience, due to you short-sightedness and BS!!

[Keyser_sozeThrice]

Steely Dan....Excellent post.

Until the greatly overrated, grossly underachieving and most of all arrogant OU baseball coach is finally gone, things will sadly be this way with Legion baseball and the state tournament in Athens anyway.

[Gary Redus]

Until the surrounding communities boycott OU athletics, they will continue to pillage Southeastern Ohio. I would love to see the OHSAA move the basketball games away from the Convo, just to cut into their wallets for a change. Park away from paid parking and buy only pre-sale tickets from the schools in order to avoid OU if you go there to support your basketball team! My children know attending OU is not an option either.

What should be a tremendous asset to our area does little more than take advantage of Appalachia. It is interesting that OU has no problem getting rid of other coaches that don't perform, but Carbone must work for free to get a pass on his actions, or inactions.
OSU and Kent are far superior programs, both of which sport local kids on their rosters and starting line-ups that OU expects to just "walk-on" like they are LSU or Texas!!

Don't go to the games, don't go to their camps--You are making too easy for them!

[boy of summer]

It is an absolute shame about the state legion tournament but it should come as an surprise to no one. I had previously posted on a football thread that there is a rapidly growing feeling of discontment among area high school officials about the lack of interest that OU has in area students let alone athletes. It appears that the feeling may be statewide now after reading the Messenger yesterday.

I really do like OU, their school and athletic programs and wish them nothing but the best. After all, it is our local university. I just think that they need to take a long look at the way they perceive (or at least are thought to perceive) those in the Appalachian region (maybe now the whole state of Ohio) where their campus is located. They have, at least in my humble opininon, a public relations issue that needs addressed and addressed soon.

[Orange and Brown]

Well I guess I will find something else to do that week.

[javon white]

Many people I know feel as gary redus and boy of summer do. OU has a problem, perceived or otherwise. The American Legion fiasco proves it.

[morrissette#18]

What does this move mean for players who make it there as far as a place to stay at night and eat?

[javon white]

There will be plenty of places to stay (motels) and eat. Beavers Field is as nice, if not nicer, than OU's. There are plenty of high school fields in the area as well. They have hosted many national tournaments and are very well prepared and experienced in hosting such events.

With that being said, it is a very sad day for Athens and a public relations nightmare for OU. The people who organized this tourney in Athens did a great job-the situation was not their fault.

[Tyler_Durden]

i don't see lancaster as being ideal long term. beavers field is nice, but the drop off of quality diamonds after that is significant. also, the american legion never charges admission for their state tournament. hope mr. beavers realizes that.

i vote for ross county.

athens chamber of commerce should be laying a heavy hand on ou and the ou athletic department. carbone and the university needs to be held responsible somehow (perhaps they can adjust the revenue lost with his salary). if i were an athens resident i would not support one ohio university event because of this. their idiocy, egos and pride just lost you the single-most highest grossing event of the year in your city.