Idaho will have Legion baseball this summer. But not with any Treasure Valley teams.
Idaho’s American Legion baseball season will go on. But it won’t include any teams from the Boise metro area.
Idaho will host a summer Legion season solely with teams from the eastern and northern parts of the state, Abe Abrahamson, chairman of Idaho American Legion Baseball, told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday.
Practices of less than 10 players are underway in those areas. Games could start as soon as June 13. And the state tournaments for the Double-A, Single-A and B levels are scheduled for late July.
“Unless something flares up and the governor pushes us back to Phase 1, we’re ready to play ball,” Abrahamson said.
Return-to-play guidelines released this week by the 5A and 4A Southern Idaho Conferences forbid any travel outside of the area or games against outside opponents this summer. To slow the spread of the coronavirus, high school programs in the Treasure Valley will instead play local schedules only.
Those games could start June 27 if Idaho completes all four stages of its reopening plan.
High school and Legion baseball remain separate organizations. But most Treasure Valley Legion teams use school facilities, and they must follow school district rules to use those fields.
“We’re just excited to play baseball, whether that’s under the Legion umbrella or this,” Capital coach Jacob Chandler said. “We just want to get on the field and make up what we lost.”
Idaho lost its high school season this spring when the global pandemic canceled all spring sports April 17.
The dual, and dueling, summer structure comes with two main reasons: The SIC’s health guidelines, and the national American Legion baseball organization canceling its support May 11 of all Legion baseball this summer.
That led teams from the Boise metro area to seek their own solution, which includes a league for the region’s 10 teams in the 5A classification. It will also have a combined 4A and 3A league. Neither will host a championship tournament.
“We all feel fortunate to get a few games on the calendar and take it for what it’s worth,” Mountain View coach Matt Rasmussen said. “Something is better than nothing.”
Meanwhile, Idaho’s state Legion organization forged ahead with its own plan. It won’t have the backing or resources of the national American Legion. But Abrahamson said the only difference will be on paper.
He said 35 teams from East Idaho signed up for a season. He’s still working on a count for North Idaho, but the Lewiston-Clarkston post, a perennial power, canceled its season Wednesday night. Teams have until May 29 to sign up.
Idaho had 126 Legion baseball teams last year, according to the state’s website. Nearly half (56) came from the Treasure Valley,
Capital High planned to host the Double-A state tournament and Vallivue High the Single-A state tournament this summer. Those tournaments will need new hosts.
“We still have college scouts that still want to see our boys play,” Abrahamson said. “We had some in Boise, but the coaches and (athletic directors) there wanted to do their own thing. They’ll just be left out of the showcases and tournaments we are going to be hosting.”
Abrahamson said the Idaho Legion plans to follow the state’s safety guidelines.
“Each team is coming up with their own different types of programs,” he said. “We’ll have hand sanitizer in the dugouts. … The boys’ safety is paramount in our minds.”
Idaho teams have excelled on the Legion stage lately, winning the past two Double-A Northwest regional tournaments. Mountain View reached the American Legion World Series two years ago. And the Idaho Falls Bandits became Idaho’s first Legion World Series champion last year.
Idaho won’t get to defend those titles as the national American Legion canceled the regional and national tournaments.
