Honoring the Past: Post 49 celebrates contributions of former players, coaches during alumni night

HAMLET — Memorial Park was filled with decades’ worth of old memories and a lot of smiles during the Hamlet American Legion Post 49 baseball program’s alumni night on Thursday.

Prior to the current team’s regular-season finale against Wilmington Post 10 Veterans, 10 former players and coaches were recognized for their contributions to the storied program in front of a large crowd.

A meet-and-greet was held between the alumni players and family members before they entered the field and met with players on the 2022 roster.

Head coach Chip Gordon also presented each alumni player with an official Post 49 baseball hat.

During the starting lineups, each former 49er was introduced by public address announcer Daniel Diggs and walked onto the field. 

They stood alongside the first base line and greeted one another, and then Hamlet’s lineup when it was called.

Both groups stayed on the field for the American Legion code of sportsmanship and the National Anthem.

Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch was Red Morrison, who played for Hamlet in 1984 and was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1987.

Morrison was part of the team he called the “Dirty Dozen,” which was the first team to make it to the World Series in the mid 1980s.

Still showing he’s got some zip on the ball, Morrison fired a strike to catcher Cooper Sessoms and signed the ball for him.

Those who participated in the alumni night, in order of years played, were:

Chuck Treadaway (1969)

Eric Freeman (1970-72)

Ricky Treadaway (1970-72)

Charlie Davis (1973-75)

Rick Watkins (1974-75)

Mark Ricks (1979)

Charles Ingram (1984)

Red Morrison (1984)

Drew Rainwater (1994-95)

Brandon Clewis (1998-2001)

VIDEO INTERVIEW: Rick Watkins and Red Morrison

VIDEO INTERVIEW: Charlie Davis and Ricky Treadaway

VIDEO INTERVIEW: Head coach Chip Gordon

PHOTOS: Click here to visit the Richmond Observer’s Facebook page to view photos of Thursday’s alumni game.