McCook Legion set to field four teams in June

Friday, May 22, 2020
The McCook Legion B (above left) are planning to field two teams along with First Central Bank Juniors and McCook National Bank Seniors when baseball games begin on Thursday, June 18.
Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — The race is on to get season schedules filled and ready for McCook’s four Legion baseball teams featuring about 50 players this summer.

McCook Junior B coach Greg Larson confirmed all these facts this morning following a meeting with city officials Thursday evening.

The McCook National Bank Seniors are aiming to play about 25 or 26 games from June 18 through July 30, Larson said.

McCook’s First Central Bank Juniors will join two Legion B teams — Herrmann Jones and Pinnacle Bank — in playing approximately 15 contests or slightly more this summer.

“We’re having to start over. We had our schedules all done,” Larson explained as Legion baseball seasons typically start around the middle of May. “We’re planning to have them all completed by next week.”

Baseball representatives have agreed to follow and enforce all of Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts’ mandates (appearing at left) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

McCook’s city council will conduct a special vote on Wednesday to finalize this agreement which will open the Jaycees Complex ballfield.

Larson said baseball leaders are confident this will happen so they can begin team practices starting June 1.

McCook Legion teams will play a lot of familiar area foes such as Holdrege, Gothenburg and Ogallala among others.

“We probably won’t be traveling too far east, nor will those teams want to travel here,” Larson said.

There will be a major difference or two from past years:

1. No team will play tournaments this season and plan to avoid any “overnight” road trips.

2. There will be no district or state baseball tournaments. State Legion baseball leaders canceled those earlier this spring.

Other traditional opponents like Lexington and North Platte are “definitely up in the air”, Larson added.

Both have been considered corona virus “hot spots” in stark contrast to Red Willow County, where only five cases have been confirmed among 370 tests as of Wednesday.

“Our plan will be to play some doubleheaders, maybe Seniors home one night and Juniors away (or vice versa),” Larson said.

He reported the MNB Seniors currently have 13 interested players while FCB Juniors feature 17.

Both the Legion B teams are equally divided among another 20 players.

As of today, football and basketball are contact sports still not being allowed under Ricketts’ team sports directives.

Camps will not pull players from baseball unless conditions change.

All the Legion coaches are planning to coach teams again this summer.

Scott Smalley and Jeff Holthus will direct the MNB Seniors;

Kaden Sitzman will again lead the FCB Juniors along with new assistant coach Seth Dugger.

Dugger just completed his Legion playing days in the Class B state tournament last summer.

Larson and Doug Terry are coaching the Herrmann Jones Juniors;

Brian Michaelis, Chad Graham and Deon Allen will coach the Pinnacle Bank Juniors team.

All players must bring list of their household family members who will be permitting to attend these games.

None can sit among the Jaycees Complex bleachers which are reserved for player spacing and equipment.

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