Shut out at home: Post 22 won't schedule 320

By Jeff Budlong, Journal staff | Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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For 11 years, there have been two American Legion baseball teams in Rapid City, but the two teams have never faced each other in a regular season game.

The divide between the two teams seems to be much larger than just the parking lot that separates their two stadiums along Canyon Lake Drive.

Post 22 has long been the established, superior program, which had nothing to gain by playing the new team across the parking lot. But in a year when Post 320 is enjoying one of its best seasons ever, and Post 22 has endured its first losing regular season in 44 years under head coach Dave Ploof, it may be difficult to make that argument.

And yet, because Post 22 refuses to schedule a game with Post 320, the only chance these two teams have to meet is in the postseason, which begins with the regional tournament today in Pierre.

"There are hard feelings with the two programs," former Post 22 player Jason Herz said. "It has gone outside of baseball, but it doesn't need to. There can be a healthy rivalry in a game that is supposed to be fun and should be fun for the kids that play."

Issues between the two teams began before Post 320 even played a game because, from Post 22's point of view, it was told that the new baseball team in Rapid City would play Babe Ruth League. Now, Post 22 must contend for players that would have only had one option for Legion baseball in Rapid City before Post 320's arrival.                                            

Post 22 Board of Directors president Shari Wiles said her board does not deal with scheduling for the Post 22 Hard Hats, and Ploof did not wish to comment for this story.

For head coach Jim Brandt and his Post 320 Stars, it is not about playing Post 22. The Stars would simply like the chance to take part in tournaments hosted by the Hard Hats.

"We could bracket it so we wouldn't have to play each other, but it would give us a tournament that our kids would enjoy and save us thousands of dollars and thousands of miles," Brandt said.

Not only would 320 like to take part in Post 22 tournaments, but the Stars also would like to have the Hard Hats cross the parking lot and play at Pete Lien Memorial Field during their tournaments.

"It would be nice to have them at our tournaments, but it needs to be a mutual situation," Post 320 president Scott Barbour said.

Stars assistant coach Mick Mitzel has handled the team's scheduling for years; he said his attempts to schedule Post 22 have been unsuccessful.

"In 2005 and 2006, I called Dave Ploof in November of both years to ask if we could do some scheduling for our Legion teams. Both times, I was told that his schedules were full and would not have any room for us," Mitzel said. "In 2007, in November, I decided not to call Dave this year to get the same response. I have never tried to get into any tourneys, nor have we invited them to any tourneys, because I have never got more than 30 seconds on the phone with him."

Post 22's refusal to face Post 320 reaches into other levels.

Earlier in July, the Post 22 Cadets -- a team of primarily 14-year-olds -- were in the same tournament as Post 320's Shooting Stars, a team  of 15-year-olds.

The two teams began the Fort Morgan, Colo., "Platte River Ruckus" tournament on opposite sides of the bracket, but on the final day, the two teams were bracketed to play one another. However, they never met on the field.

"Post 22 said they were interested in playing a different opponent than one from their hometown," tournament director Josh Langford said. "They said they could play them any time they wanted to. All we had to do was make one flip-flop in the times, and it worked out well."

Langford said when they put the tournament together, they tried to make sure the two teams would not face one another because he doubted they drove five hours to play a team that was so close to them. Langford, not knowing the history between the two teams, did not talk to Post 320 about the switch.

"I figured they were on the same page because they are from the same town, so I didn't talk to (Post 320)," he said.

In Sioux Falls, the city's two American Legion baseball teams play each other twice a year during the regular season, and both teams participate in the two tournaments they hold each season.

"Any time we get together, it is a rivalry and a big game," Sioux Falls East head coach Eric Knight said. "It changes, depending on the caliber of baseball that year and what has happened during the high school season, but the rivalry can be friendly and then change to more heated.

"Baseball in the East River is not like it is in the West River, but we get a good crowd, and we go through the year playing similar teams with the kids getting ready for the big game."

But not in Rapid City.

"It is a little tough on (our players) during the summer," Brandt said. "But I remember we were in the same tournament once -- we didn't play each other -- but some of our players went up to theirs, and I saw one give a hug to another because they hadn't seen each other for a couple of weeks. Sometimes, the kids have a better idea, and we could learn a lot from them."

When the two teams have met in the postseason -- meetings that Post 22 cannot avoid -- the Hard Hats are undefeated. This season, however, Post 320 has enjoyed one of its most successful campaigns (41-12), but Post 22 has endured a  losing regular season (28-29). That has some believing a matchup between the two teams this year would create a very competitive game in a town that has a passion for baseball.

"It would be a tremendous draw," Herz said. "When they played in the regionals a few years back, the stadium was packed, and that was in Sturgis. If they played in Rapid City, there would be a ton of people there."

Many fans also believe it is time for the two teams to play one another during the regular season.

"It is all local kids, and we should see the local kids play each other," Bob Sack said while watching a recent Post 22 game. "That is what it is all about. It's not about who is better than anybody else. Stevens and Central play each other in football. Why can't they play in baseball?"

Head-to-head matchups

All in the postseason

2007 - Post 22 8, Post 320 2

2006 - Post 22 6, Post 320 3; Post 22 11, Post 320 2

2004 - Post 22 6, Post 320 5

2003 - Post 22 13, Post 320 1; Post 22 11, Post 320 1

2002 - Post 22 12, Post 320 0; Post 22 6, Post 320 4

2001 - Post 22 16, Post 320 2; Post 22 13, Post 320 3; Post 22 11, Post 320 0

2000 - Post 22 9, Post 320 2; Post 22 12, Post 320 2

1999 - Post 22 13, Post 320 3; Post 22 13, Post 320 5

Would you like to see Post 320 and Post 22 play during the regular season?

"I think they should because they are in the same region, and they ought to have regional play. It would be nice to be able to seed people in the region according to their regional win-loss record."

Jim Roduner, Rapid City

"We are a community, and kids know kids, so I think it would be a big crowd and a big money-maker for both teams. I think it would be good for Rapid City."

Dean Clark, Rapid City

"I would, because I would like to see the competition."

Dennis Anderson, New Underwood

"I would, I guess. It doesn't make any difference if we play or not, but it just seems like it is a natural thing to do and a good thing for the community. I think it would be a really competitive game, and it could go either way."

Kim Richardson, Rapid City

"I would like to see it because I think it would be good for the city and good for the teams."

John Richardson, Rapid City

"Yes, I think that would be great. I think it would be a good competitive game. They are two pretty even teams."

Addie Lowe, Rapid City

"Yes, just a chance to see more competition."

David Simon, Rapid City

"No. What do you have to gain? They will play when it comes time to declare a champion, and that is soon enough. They each have their own program and make their own schedules."

Vern Green, Rapid City

"I think it would be interesting to have them play during the regular season, but there isn't really anything to be gained."

Chuck McCain, Rapid City