LITTLE ROCK — A game that was mostly meaningless has gained tremendous meaning.
And the Texarkana Razorbacks will be representing the Mid-South Region at the American Legion World Series without having earned it on the field. It comes at the expense of the Bryant Black Sox.
On Sunday, the two teams, perennial rivals, were set to play for the Regional championship and the trip to Shelby, N.C., for the World Series. But thunderstorms forced the postponement of the game. Tentative plans were set to try to play it today but the threat of more rain and perhaps the fact that the some of the American Legion officials, mostly from out of the state (as well as most of the umpires), had flights to catch today contributed to the decision to cancel the game and go with tiebreaking procedures, which awarded the championship and Series trip to Texarkana.
According to Bryant manager Darren Hurt, however, the national office of American Legion baseball had pushed back the plane reservations of tournament director Ron LaPorte to Tuesday with instructions to try to get the game played.
“I was told that we would do everything we could to get this game played,” Hurt related. “That’s the exact quote I was given from two different Legion officials, the ones that were making the decisions.”
Hurt, LaPorte, and the Arkansas state commissioner Jeral Howard had talked about moving the game from UALR’s Hogan Field with its artificial turf infield and natural grass outfield to the all-artificial surface field at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, about an hour’s drive from Little Rock (on the way to Texarkana). And Hurt talked to Henderson baseball coach Cody Hooten, who offered the use of the field free of charge, saying that any interruption for rain would only take about 30 minutes to recover from for resumption of play.
“I was told that was an option if we couldn’t play at UALR,” Hurt said. “Something changed this morning and I’m not sure what that was. As a matter of fact, this morning, I was told the game was on. Then when I was called and told that it was not, I was told it was due to the forecast. That was the original excuse that I was given. I pleaded with them to wait until it rains before we make that decision. But they had already made their mind up.
“I told Ron that this was a decision that I didn’t think was right and I wanted him to reconsider,” he continued. “And he made it clear to me that he had made a final decision before he ever called me.”
Neither Howard nor LaPorte were answering calls or texts this afternoon.
Reports from Arkadelphia indicate the weather that has occurred today would not have prevented the game from being played. Hurt said he went to Hogan Field to check the conditions there and reported this afternoon that, “It’s ready to play on right now.”
This statement was issued today by Gary Stone, the American Legion Baseball Committee chairman and Michael D. Buss, Program Director of American Legion Baseball:
“Despite the best efforts of the regional tournament staff and American Legion Baseball officials, it was deemed necessary to cancel game 15 of the Mid-South tournament due to unplayable conditions.
“We always strive to let the results on the field determine who advances in our national tournaments, however, Mother Nature and a tight timeline prevented the conclusion of the tournament. The deadline was extended for the tournament conclusion and other playing venues were considered, but, unfortunately, no resolution was possible to play the championship game.
“According to tournament procedures, the winner of the previous head-to-head regional matchup determines the regional champion. Texarkana, by defeating Bryant 6-5 in game 13 on Saturday, earned the right to advance to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.”
Time didn’t seem to be a factor. The game could even have been played on Tuesday morning since the World Series begins with a banquet this Thursday, with the first game for the Mid-South Regional champion coming on Friday against Western Regional champion, San Mateo, Calif.
Hurt as well as the Bryant American Legion Post Commander Jim Catton and Bryant Athletic Association representative Steve Glenn filed protests with the national office but the release was the only response and the later in the day it went without any other remarks, the less likely a change in the decision would be forthcoming. Legion representatives and umpires, many of whom were here from out of state, had started to leave town.
“We have contacted every Legion official that we can get an phone number or e-mail for,” Hurt stated. “We got that reply but that’s it.”
Initially, there was some confusion about the tiebreaker rules. It was reported, though unverified, that the last unbeaten team in the tournament would advance to the Series. That would’ve been Bryant. Texarkana had opened the tournament with an 11-0 loss to Pontatoc, Miss.
Regarding the head-to-head consideration, the only time Bryant and Texarkana played was in the semifinals when Bryant had already clinched a spot in the championship game. The game was hotly contested but Texarkana pulled out a 6-5 win. Though greatly disappointed, the Sox were still in position to win the title on Sunday.
In the losers bracket final on Sunday, the Razorbacks defeated Sedalia, Mo., to earn the right to take on Bryant in the title game, which, apparently, will never be played.
With the rainout, Texarkana was awarded the trip to North Carolina by virtue of that win, which otherwise would’ve only served to keep their chances alive.
Under most commonly used eight-team brackets, the game would not even have been played. Under those circumstances, Bryant, after a 6-3 victory over Sedalia in the winners bracket final, would’ve been waiting for the survivor of the losers bracket.
The ruling comes as particularly bitter news to the Black Sox and Hurt who coached the team to the championship round in 2014 with two chances to win the title and the trip to the Series only to be defeated twice by Columbia, Tenn. Then last year, the Sox made it to the semifinals only to be denied by a Louisiana team that wound up in the championship game at the World Series.
In addition, with the rain, the Sox’ pitching staff would’ve been given another day’s rest which would’ve made ace right-hander Zach Jackson available, working on a streak of 15 consecutive scoreless innings including six against Texarkana.
“The hardest part of this thing was the meeting with the kids,” Hurt said. “Because there are guys that feel now, that that game the other night — that are taking it on them that we didn’t win that game.”
That included Hurt, himself, though he wouldn’t comment on that.
“The main thing is they just wanted to settle this thing on the field,” he continued. “We just wanted an opportunity to play them for the championship. I don’t know if it’s true or not but I was told earlier, by our director, that this had never happened before.
“We just wanted our opportunity to settle this on the field,” Hurt reiterated.
Members of the Black Sox team are Logan Allen, Beaux Bonvillain, Joey Cates, Jake East, Jordan Gentry, Boston Heil, Dylan Hurt, Zach Jackson, Austin Kelly, Garrett Misenheimer, Hunter Oglesby, Aaron Orender, Matthew Sandidge, Scott Schmidt, Alex Shurtleff and Seth Tucker. Darren Hurt’s assistants are Jerry East, Ozzie Hurt and Tryce Schalchlin.
Donna Jones
It’s sad these players were done so wrong!
Sean Roller
worst thing I’ve ever heard regarding legion ball. to work your tail off and not being able to settle it between the lines is unimaginable.
Craig Harrison
Rob, thanks for reporting. This is absolutely ridiculous. Of all of the outcomes, this was the worst. They used pool play rules to decide a bracket play format.
First, Ron needs to resign from his position, as does Jeral. Second, Bryant needs to really consider leaving Legion. They did not make every effort to play the game as the national guy said.
Rebecca Young
That is not fair.
Mike Chandler
With Jeral Howard around what do you expect !!
Louie Avery
Feel bad for Bryant and happy for Texarkana. Please don’t blame the Texarkana coaches and players. It wasn’t a meaningless game in the tournament that Texarkana won as we can obviously see. Texarkana also beat Bryant 4 out of 6 games this summer. I believe Bryant had the best pitcher, but Texarkana the best depth on the mound. Both teams could hit the ball and play defense. If I was from Bryant I’d be complaining, too. If you’re from Texarkana, you rarely see our city get such breaks. Good luck at the World Series Razorbacks, and good luck in the future to Bryant’s baseball players.
Sean Stevens
I’m so sorry this happened to Bryant. This quote from the article says a lot about how the Legion’s double-elimination format penalizes a team for winning their first 3 games, “Under most commonly used eight-team brackets, the game would not even have been played.”
I’ve never understood this format. If a team is undefeated after 3 games, they should be resting their pitching and waiting on someone to come out of the loser’s bracket.
Jill
This is sad for the boys of BOTH teams. I doubt Texarkana is pleased on advancing on a questionable decision/technicality based on weather that never happened. It just calls into question the integrity of the whole program. Smh…
Den Lentz
I thought something like this would never happen in American legion Baseball, but it unfortunately has. Them young men of Bryant were robbed of an opportunity to do something they’ve had in mind since pee wees. All because of old, fuddy duddy old men who put their potential inconvenience for a night ahead of he hard work and aspirations of these young men. It’s ridiculous. As a legion alum all I can do is shake my head.
Also BTW I have no horse in this race. I am a Fort Smith Sportsman backer.
As far as the game satuday night, Bryant had gone 3-0 already and had clinched a spot in the championship game. They should of never been playing that game in the first place. Only thanks to that awful illogical bracket setup wete they. And THAT is the underlying issue in all this. As soon as I saw that format I commented how terrible that is. WHY make the unbeaten 3-0 only team left in winners bracket play a game that basically means zilch. In 98% of tournaments that team is awaiting a team to come thru the losers bracket.
It should of been Texas v Texarkana on Saturday morning.
Winner Vs. Missouri sat night.
Then that winner has to beat Bryant twice on sunday.
Simple. Fair.
You can’t use a game that’s as meaningless as a game in a tournament can get to one team as a tiebreaker. I don’t care if Texarkana beat Bryant 12x this summer. It’s one game for a trip to the World Series! Everything before that is completely irrelevant.
Also not to mention Bryant did NOT pitch either of their top 2 pitchers when both were available saturday night.
And this also is a shame to the Texarkana team. Now they have to continue being known as the team that got the free Regional championship win. They’re an excellent squad and thats not fair to them. Nonetheless, representing Arkansas in the World Series is very cool and I hope they do some damage in Shelby, NC this week.
All in all this just stinks to the 10th power. And severely damaged the credibility of American legion baseball in this state. Just when legion ball was on an upswing too. Shame on you American Legion.
Shame on you Gary Stone.
Shame on you Michael Buss.
Shame on you Jearal Howard.
And the biggest offender offender of them all, the man with the final say so, RON LAPORTE NEEDS TO GO!
Jim Sandidge
Bottom line, they did it because we were the host team. They would not have done it to the LA, MS, KS, TX, MO, OK state champ. All Legion officials involved should be removed permanently.
Buc
Never heard of any game being rained out 12 hours before it started! But I guess this is rigged just like everythig else……
Vince
I totally agree the game should’ve been played to determine the berth to the ALWS but I don’t agree that the bracket format is a bad one. I’ve coached Legion ball in the past and I’ve always loved this bracket because it requires every team to play a game each day and forces them to use some pitching up. The Bryant/Texarkana game wasn’t meaningless to either team: if Bryant had won and eliminated Texarkana, it would’ve set them up to have to be beaten twice by the MO team on Sunday. However, they lost and that set up a 3 team scenario on the last day and put them into the winner take all game 15, which obviously should’ve been played.
I too feel the players and coaches got the shaft in this, but don’t bash this bracket format, folks. It could’ve been pool play where, more times than not, an undefeated team loses 1 game in the semis or final and is eliminated. Talk about grossly unfair! The ALWS should not be using that format to determine a national champion. If you’re a team in any tournament and you can’t avoid getting beaten twice in that tourney, then you have no business getting additional chances to continue playing in it!
Tim Posey
Texarkana had beaten them 3 straight times and if Arkansas hadnt been the host state Bryant wouldn’t be there anyway….
OH YEA, TEXARKANA JUST WON THE WORLD SERIES…
I’d say the selection committee got it correct…. so stop whining like a bunch of 4yr old babies!!!!
Tim Posey
AND TEXARKANA IS YOUR 2016 NATIONAL AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!