It's official - Lee Post 1794 will not have a baseball team this summer.
I spoke to Oneida County chairman Jack Huther this afternoon and he confirmed the rumor that was spreading around for a couple weeks now. He told me that only six or seven kids had signed up for the Lee team as of last week, leaving the post with no choice but to drop this summer's baseball program. Although he was dissapointed with the loss of Lee for the 2008 season, Huther seemed optimistic about the chance that they will return to the league next summer.
"I think it’s just a one year thing," he said. "They more or less promised me they’d be back next year."
I also spoke with former Lee manager Robert Richie (assistant baseball coach and head bowling coach at SUNY-IT) and former Lee head coach Joe Melioris (also the Rome Catholic High varsity coach). They shared Huther's frustration with the situation.
Richie said, "I’m very disappointed in Lee not having a team this year. That (baseball) is one of the most outstanding organizations that the legion has. They have their own field and they take care of it. They feed the kids after the games. They do a whole lot."
Both Richie and Melioris said they would consider returning to Lee in 2009 if the team is reinstated.
"Maybe," Richie said. "I would love to come back if they ask me. I’m really going to miss it."
"I’m going to review some options and see what’s out there," Melioris said. "I’m not 100 percent sure."
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3 comments:
The correct name of the Lee coach is Robert Richie. Do you honestly think that Smith post would not take Joe Melioris ? Do you not find it hard to believe that with a JV and varsity team at RFA and a varsity team at RCH that there couldnt be 2 teams fielded in Rome ? It seems to me that this entire ordeal was well orchestrated and it will just leave some young adults without the opportunity to play ball another summer.
Thanks for catching my error with Robert Richie's name. I corrected it. Also, I defitinely think Smith will take Joe and I understand your sentiments about the so-called "orchastrated" move. It does seem like a raw deal for those kids who may not make the Smith team.
The worst part about this story is that Lee Post is without a team this year. The interest may not be there as Lee is often looked at as Rome's B team. It is hard for many teams to compete in Legion Baseball by the sheer fact that they are playing a higher level of competition. Any kid 16-18 hates to lose. Sometimes you feel like you have no chance at all playing againse the powerhouses in Oneida County.
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