The North Platte American Legion Baseball program has announced that three individuals and a state championship winning team will be inducted into the program’s Hall of Fame in 2014.
This year’s class includes one player, one state championship team, and two individuals who donated countless hours to making North Platte American Legion Baseball what it has become. This year’s class includes Jack Raetz (posthumously), Mick Hayes, Steve Gullion and the 1994 Midget Post 163 baseball team. They will be inducted during the North Platte American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame weekend, May 2-3.
The Hall of Fame weekend will begin at 4:30 pm Friday May 2nd at Bill Wood Field with an intra-squad scrimmage of the current Legion teams followed by an alumni vs alumni game at 7:30 pm. In between innings they will honor the Hall of Fame inductees. Admission is free.
Saturday May 3rd, the American Legion 4-person golf scramble will begin at Lake Maloney Golf course with a shotgun start at 12:30 pm. Following the golf tournament, there will be a banquet honoring the 2014 North Platte Legion Baseball Hall of Fame inductees. The golf tournament cost is $65.00 which includes the banquet. Tickets for the banquet only are $20.00. All past Legion players are invited to come out and participate and the entire community is welcome as well.
North Platte American Legion Baseball has had a long and distinguished run in North Platte, with the program officially starting around 1960. Hundreds of players and fans, along with dozens of coaches and others truly dedicated to the program have been involved in American Legion Baseball. In 2013 the Board of Directors decided a Hall of Fame to honor these outstanding individuals should be started. The inaugural class included two coaches, two players and two individual volunteers.
The First Nationals will start their regular season Sat May 17th when the Seniors travel to Scottsbluff. The Juniors host Scottsbluff at Bill Wood Field in North Platte at 1:00 pm. The Juniors will be home over Memorial Day weekend and the Seniors will be home Monday May 26th. First pitch for the Seniors is at 2:00 pm.