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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Monday, August 6, 2007 11:02 PM CDT
Grimes Field all dressed up for state Legion tournament

BY BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor

MATTOON — Kurt Stretch scouted Mattoon Post 88’s Sunday baseball practice.

He was not recording who had the strongest arms from the outfield or how infielders might field a bunt.

The Mattoon parks superintendent was checking how baseballs bounced on his new infield.

During that time, he was also planning how to fix that dent left in right-center field from the stage at the Bagelfest concert.

This week is show time for Mattoon when it plays host to the American Legion baseball state tournament Wednesday through Saturday at Grimes Field in Peterson Park.

Well respected for his grounds crew work, Stretch is trying to be as prepared with his field as any coach is with his lineup.

“We don’t want the field to become a factor,” he said. “We want the boys to make their own plays and create their own problems.”

Since Mattoon Post 88’s last home game in the championship of the Firecracker Classic, Stretch has been getting Grimes Field state tourney-ready.

Diamond Pro Red Infield has been put on the infield and warning track.

Grass has been reseeded and aerated.

From the start of this baseball season Grimes has had the new brick for the backstop running to the dugouts.

That was made with this state tourney in mind.

This state tourney could be Mattoon’s audition in a bid to play host to the 2010 Great Lakes Regional, which takes winners from several states to determine an American Legion World Series berth.

Also in Mattoon’s hopes is the 2009 Babe Ruth 15-year-old Ohio Valley Regional.

The Ohio Valley for 12-year-olds is to come to Mattoon’s Lawson Park next year.

Mattoon has not billed itself as the “baseball capital of the world” in the past for no reason.

Planning and preparation has been going ever since the winter when Mattoon was able to step in as the state tourney host because another turned down the chance.

The work has included a 25-page booklet given to visiting teams telling everything from pregame warm-up schedule to where visitors can find automatic services, golf courses, doctors and dentists or taxi cabs.

Former Mattoon Post 88 coach John Logan is the tourney director with dozens of others involved in running this event.

“I hope everyone comes out to see some good baseball,” Mattoon Post 88 coach Steve Metzger said. “Mattoon always puts on good tournaments for everyone. The field looks great.”

Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.

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