Home Local Sports Gordon: ‘A lot of enthusiasm’ at Post 49 baseball tryout

Gordon: ‘A lot of enthusiasm’ at Post 49 baseball tryout

Head coach Chip Gordon (second from left) meets with players toward the end of Saturday's tryout for the American Legion Post 49 baseball team.
Kyle Pillar — Sports Editor.

HAMLET — The American Legion Post 49 baseball team held its lone tryout for the 2021 summer season on Saturday at Memorial Park in Hamlet.

Head coach Chip Gordon noted 21 players from across the Sandhills region came to the tryout, and he plans on finalizing the team later this weekend.

“I was really pleased with the turnout, there were a lot of competitive players here today,” Gordon said. “With the team we put together, we’ll definitely be in a bunch of ball games this summer and try to win as many games as we can.”

Gordon, along with assistant coaches Chaz Sessoms and Thomas Grooms, ran players through a series of infield and outfield workouts, before ending the day with batting and base running drills.

Explaining that he hopes to offer local players a higher caliber of baseball experience over the next couple of months, Gordon said there was a lot of excitement during Saturday’s tryout.

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“There was a lot of enthusiasm about playing,” Gordon said. “We’ll be a mix of players from several different schools, but all the guys seemed to gel pretty good at the tryout. We’re going to enjoy playing as a team all summer. 

“I saw a lot of players with some good arm strength, and some guys that have good swings,” he added.

The Post 49 team won’t start officially practicing until June 14, which will be after the current high school season ends. Hamlet will begin its 14-game regular season on June 17 at home against Port City Post 545.

The Richmond Observer will continue its coverage of the team this summer, and publish a season preview in the coming week.

PHOTOS: To see photos from Saturday’s tryout, click here.



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Kyle Pillar is a 22-time North Carolina Press Association award-winning sports editor with The Richmond Observer. Follow the sports department on X @ROSports_ for the best in-depth coverage of Richmond County sports.