This and that at the Dooley Classic
I've said it before and I'll say it now: There's nothing like spending some time at the ballpark in the summer.
If you get a chance, go to Cowboy Field this weekend for the first Dooley Oil Classic American Legion baseball tournament. The tourney will run through Sunday evening.
The host Laramie Rangers took on Dothan, Ala., Saturday night, with Dothan coming away with a 1-0 win. What a game! Possibly one of the best I have ever watched on the American Legion level.
Dothan has competed in the American Legion World Series twice in the last four years. Other quality teams competing include Wheatland, Cheyenne Post 6, Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs), Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) and the Colorado Bandits and State Farm (Boulder County).
The Rangers received a scare Friday night when Jordan Rhodine dove back hard to third base on a pick-off attempt and hurt his knee. All indications are, however, that the injury is not serious.
It's always refreshing to see Legion players compete in a wood-bat format. The aluminum bats might be economically efficient, but it takes away from the game with the lively bat. Laramie and Wheatland did play with the aluminum bats on Thursday night and the result was 32 runs being scored. Through the next 10 games, there have been just 83 runs scored in games with the wooden bats.
“I love wood bats and I love to get players in motion; you can run, bunt and run and double steal. That’s a great part of baseball,” Laramie manager Sean McKinney said.
If you watched Thursday's game, you would have witnessed the base coaches wearing helmets as well. It's a new rule for Wyoming Legion games. Of course, a lot of this came about after last season's tragic death of Colorado Rockies' minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was hit by a foul ball and died. Now, all base coaches in the majors wear helmets as well.
There was a change in Friday's schedule, with Sand Creek and Cheyenne Mountain playing in the final game at about 9:30 p.m., instead of the 9 a.m. scheduled start. Apparently, Sand Creek thought it was playing in the 11:30 a.m. game.
Post 6 and Dothan will meet in the title game Sunday at 9 a.m. The orginal schedule had that game set for 7 p.m., but Dothan has to catch a plane back to Alabama before that.
If you didn't get enough of your Legion baseball fix this weekend, just wait a few days. The Rangers will host their second straight tournament, July 3-6, in the Laramie Firecracker Invitational.
Last, but not least
If you're reading this, then thank you. It's been a tough summer for yours truly with the situation I was put in. Although I have been able to cover the Rangers at times this year, not being able to do so full time as in my previous employment has been a little different.
This does, however, mark the 19th season that I have covered the Laramie Rangers and I'm pleased to do so. But because this site is still in the infancy stages (non-revenue, as they say), I can't devote myself full time to it or to summer baseball in Laramie in general. Next week's Firecracker tournament is an example, as I will be away on a family vacation. With the help of the Laramie coaches and the modern marvel of the Internet, I'll still try to get some info on the games posted, although it won't be live.
Regardless, there's nothing like summer baseball with the Rangers and despite everything, I'll do what I can. Again, thanks for reading.
If you get a chance, go to Cowboy Field this weekend for the first Dooley Oil Classic American Legion baseball tournament. The tourney will run through Sunday evening.
The host Laramie Rangers took on Dothan, Ala., Saturday night, with Dothan coming away with a 1-0 win. What a game! Possibly one of the best I have ever watched on the American Legion level.
Dothan has competed in the American Legion World Series twice in the last four years. Other quality teams competing include Wheatland, Cheyenne Post 6, Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs), Sand Creek (Colorado Springs) and the Colorado Bandits and State Farm (Boulder County).
The Rangers received a scare Friday night when Jordan Rhodine dove back hard to third base on a pick-off attempt and hurt his knee. All indications are, however, that the injury is not serious.
It's always refreshing to see Legion players compete in a wood-bat format. The aluminum bats might be economically efficient, but it takes away from the game with the lively bat. Laramie and Wheatland did play with the aluminum bats on Thursday night and the result was 32 runs being scored. Through the next 10 games, there have been just 83 runs scored in games with the wooden bats.
“I love wood bats and I love to get players in motion; you can run, bunt and run and double steal. That’s a great part of baseball,” Laramie manager Sean McKinney said.
If you watched Thursday's game, you would have witnessed the base coaches wearing helmets as well. It's a new rule for Wyoming Legion games. Of course, a lot of this came about after last season's tragic death of Colorado Rockies' minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was hit by a foul ball and died. Now, all base coaches in the majors wear helmets as well.
There was a change in Friday's schedule, with Sand Creek and Cheyenne Mountain playing in the final game at about 9:30 p.m., instead of the 9 a.m. scheduled start. Apparently, Sand Creek thought it was playing in the 11:30 a.m. game.
Post 6 and Dothan will meet in the title game Sunday at 9 a.m. The orginal schedule had that game set for 7 p.m., but Dothan has to catch a plane back to Alabama before that.
If you didn't get enough of your Legion baseball fix this weekend, just wait a few days. The Rangers will host their second straight tournament, July 3-6, in the Laramie Firecracker Invitational.
Last, but not least
If you're reading this, then thank you. It's been a tough summer for yours truly with the situation I was put in. Although I have been able to cover the Rangers at times this year, not being able to do so full time as in my previous employment has been a little different.
This does, however, mark the 19th season that I have covered the Laramie Rangers and I'm pleased to do so. But because this site is still in the infancy stages (non-revenue, as they say), I can't devote myself full time to it or to summer baseball in Laramie in general. Next week's Firecracker tournament is an example, as I will be away on a family vacation. With the help of the Laramie coaches and the modern marvel of the Internet, I'll still try to get some info on the games posted, although it won't be live.
Regardless, there's nothing like summer baseball with the Rangers and despite everything, I'll do what I can. Again, thanks for reading.
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