The setting was the American Legion 2009 Regional Championship. The teams came from five states, South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Nevada and Wisconsin.Great baseball was played and the final game pitted Faith Lutheran American Legion of Nevada, a town of almost a million vs. LaMoure, ND.
The team from Nevada with its verbally aggressive style, daring the opponent to challenge them and the team from North Dakota, located in the south eastern part of North Dakota. A town of less than 1000 people and most of them were at the game.
It had been just two years almost to date that this team experienced the Class B state championship in Bottineau, ND in the North Dakota American Legion. They were the champions of the state.
As I sat next to an older man and his wife in Milbank after the championship game this older man told me what a great hosts Milbank was. He was classy in his approach. I noticed that just before the trophies were to be given out and the Nevada team winning the tournament, I noticed the small town coach had called his players to the outfield.
The elderly man then told me that this team was playing for their teammate. He told me that a teammate was killed in a car accident two years ago just after the team qualified for the state tournament. These young men were humbly pulled aside by their coach to say their last good-byes to Ross Meidinger.
They had played their hearts out in this tournament beating teams they probably shouldn’t have. They had a motive and their hearts were in the game.
As I listened to this man talk I realized that the real winners were from this little town of less than 1000 people who came to watch their kids play for Ross.
This was truly a team that played with class. My heart was with this team from North Dakota and the people of this community should be and are proud of their team.
American Legion baseball had given this team the opportunity of a life time and all should be proud of their contribution and the opportunity to teach our young people the real meaning of the game.
How fitting that the game was played in the home field of the birthplace of American Legion baseball.