I hope everyone knows by now that American League baseball has come to Boothbay! We had our first practice (you would think I am on the team and not just the team’s liaison to the Post) and was I impressed! It was like watching the Sea Dogs. And, it was the first time some of the players had met. Players are coming from all over the region to play on the 36ers, some driving over an hour to get to the evening practices. This is true dedication to the sport for these high schoolers. To say these players are the best of the best of high school baseball players would not be an understatement.

This week saw our first game against Fairfield. At the last breakfast, the 18th, a Floridian but a summer resident, Jon Anderson joined us. Of course, I had no idea who he was until he introduced himself and told me that he was part of the American Legion 1986 baseball team from Jensen Beach. What made meeting him exciting was that his team was the 1986 National American Legion Baseball champions! So, I looked them up and found a newspaper article written in 2021 that talked about the team. Jon Anderson had a .476 average and won the 1986 Regional MVP award. He went on to the minors and was twice drafted to the Angels. That team had four players go on to the majors and a couple on to the minors. Other players went on to become head college baseball coaches. I am hoping that Jon’s travel schedule will give him the chance to attend one or more of the 36ers home games. I am sure the players would love to talk to him. That 2021 article interviewed many of the players, all indicating how important playing American Legion baseball was for the careers, inside baseball and out. A quote from the article sums it up: “American Legion Baseball enjoys a reputation as one of the most successful and tradition-rich amateur athletic leagues. Today, the program registers more than 5,400 teams in all 50 states, including Canada and Puerto Rico.”

So, next week’s schedule has the 36ers playing Skowhegan at home on the 27th. Game time is 6:30. It would be really great to have a big community turn out. If you are a baseball fan, then you really need to come and see quality high school baseball at its best. If you want to see the whole schedule, go to www.post36maine.org/events. Hopefully you will get to see some of the team players during the Windjammer Days Parade.

A reminder that we are looking for others to have a yard sale table at our Post Yard Sale on the Common, Aug. 5. The more yard sales going on at the same time, the more folks will want to stop! Call the Hall to reserve a spot.