ON DOWN THE ROAD

It has been 14 years since I took my American Legion baseball uniform off for the last time.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it.
I had spent each summer from 1991 through 1994 competing for Coffeyville’s American Legion Post 20 team and when Post 20 was eliminated from the Zone Tournament in late July 1994, it wasn’t until a short time later I realized I would never get a chance to don a uniform with the American Legion patch on the sleeve again and the missed opportunity to compete for a Kansas State American Legion Championship.
I enjoyed playing American Legion baseball, it meant a lot to me. It allowed me the opportunity to continue to improve on my individual baseball skills while competing against some of the best opponents in the Midwest and allowed my teammates the opportunity to improve as a team as we prepared for the seasons ahead.
Translation: In the state of Kansas, if a high school baseball player competes on the varsity level for all four years, the athlete is guaranteed to play 80 games (not counting postseason play). American Legion baseball allows athletes to play in as many as the weather allows and a schedule as diverse as finances will allow.
During my four years American Legion baseball, I never played fewer than 40 games in a summer.
When I think back to the teams I competed against — teams from Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and one team from Minnesota at the Grand Slam Fourth of July Tournament in Salina — those are some of my best memories, the quality of competition.
Today, the Kansas American Legion AAA State Baseball Championships begin at Jaycee Ballpark and the eight teams visiting this weekend to compete for the state crown have completed some of the toughest schedules known to baseball.
I envy the schedules of all eight teams; I wish I could have played the schedules they faced this summer.
The eight teams competing in Pittsburg this weekend have played opponents ranging from Alaska to New Mexico, from Colorado to Illinois, from Minnesota to Texas.
To those athletes visiting here, I say enjoy American Legion baseball, take pride in the fun and competition it brings and savor each summer, because before you know it, it will be gone.

Shrine Bowl follow-up
The events and celebrations surrounding the 35th annual Kansas Shrine Bowl in Emporia last weekend proved to be well-attended, fun and featured activities broad in range.
The 35th edition of the annual football classic featured the usual banquet on Friday night at the Emporia State University Memorial Union.
Saturday, the Shrine All-Star 5K Cross Country race was a new event added this year to include the best graduated runners from across Kansas into the weekend festivities. The race began at 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning and took less than a half hour to execute and was complete before the parade started at 10 a.m. in downtown Emporia.
The parade route went south on Commercial starting at the ESU campus and down through the heart of Emporia. The parade lasted just short of an hour and upon completion, downtown Emporia featured 20 arts and crafts vendors and a children’s fun zone with games and activities.
In the afternoon, events connected to the Shrine Bowl included a Charity Poker Run with proceeds going to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a Special Invitation Wine and Cheese Party for the Shrine Ladies and parents of the Shrine Bowl participants and a Fashion Show presented by the Flint Hills Mall.
The game (a 29-28 West victory) was a classic unto itself.
The City of Emporia, the Emporia Convention and Visitors Bureau and Emporia State University did a great job of executing the event and providing excellent hospitality during the weekend.

Upcoming events
It’s fair time, a large state baseball tournament is in town and it’s the height of the late summer vacation season. Nothing like getting out and enjoying one of these many activities scheduled to take place this weekend and on into next week:
• Today, the Kansas American Legion “AAA” State Baseball Championships get under way at historic Jaycee Ballpark in Pittsburg. For more information, contact the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-879-1112.
• Today and Saturday, the 92nd Annual Crawford County Fair continues at the Crawford County Fairgrounds east of Girard on Highway 47. Tonight, the Tuff Truck Competition will be the featured event at 7 p.m. in the grandstands, Saturday at 7 p.m., the popular Demolition Derby will start at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Dennis Brown (620) 724-8120.
• Sunday, the Mirza Shriners will host its First Sunday Breakfast open to the public the first Sunday of each month at the Mirza Shrine Temple, 110 West Fifth Street in Pittsburg from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For $6, diners can get all-you-can-eat pancakes, biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon and much, much more. For more information, contact the Mirza Shriners at (620) 231-4180 or log onto www.mirzashriners.com.
• Tuesday through Thursday next week, the 2008 Kansas Housing Conference will be held at Pittsburg State University’s Overman Student Center. For more information, contact the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-879-1112.
• Friday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 10, the 62nd Annual Arma V-J Homecoming will feature events for all ages including the V-J. Homecoming Parade, arts and crafts, carnival and rides and tractor pull. The Arma V-J Homecoming is also home to Kansas' Largest Mud Volleyball Tournament. This wildly popular event features over 1,500 participants, 400 teams and divisions for all age groups. For more information, contact Stefanie Peternell (620) 347-4711.

Craig Hull is the director of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau. It is the purpose of the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote travel and tourism in Crawford County, Southeast Kansas and the Midwest. He can be reached at chull@pittsburgareachamber.com or at 1-800-879-1112.