Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

March 13, 2010

GT County to run youth baseball program

American Legion wanted to maintain independence

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- It's strike three for a 62-year-old local American Legion junior baseball program, but a new batter has stepped up to the plate.

Grand Traverse County said it will run its own recreational baseball league this summer, replacing the American Legion as overseer of 700 young baseball players.

The shift followed problems with American Legion's baseball operations last year, as well as a push by the county's parks board and director to manage programs instead of just managing parks.

"I think the county will do a great job. I'm very excited," said Tim Simon, a parent and volunteer baseball coach last year.

A divided county board approved the change in late February and reversed a decades-long philosophy of allowing nonprofit groups to run recreation programs at county-owned facilities. Commissioners Mike Stepka, Bruce Hooper, Ross Richardson, Addison Wheelock Jr., and Beth Friend voted to end American Legion's involvement and hand the ball to county recreation officials.

"I think we're looking at a major shift in policy from a cooperative relationship to running everything," said Commissioner Larry Inman, who opposed the move.

Commissioners Christine Maxbauer, Larry Fleis and Dick Thomas joined Inman in support of the American Legion, whose leaders wanted to maintain their independence in 2010 under a new management structure.

"Everything else that goes on in this city, you don't have the bucks, you don't get to play," Fleis said. "With Legion baseball, every kid who wanted to play got to play, regardless of income."

Parks and Recreation Director Jason Jones swayed some board members with a plan and budget that indicated a $5 fee increase for baseball players could turn a $25,000 profit for the county in two years.

That didn't sit well with Mark Griner, senior vice commander of American Legion Post 35.

"The first thing they looked at was 'We can run the program and make a profit,' and I don't think that's right," Griner said.

Fleis called the move "a slap in the face" to veterans and the American Legion.

"It was a kick in the teeth to an organization that stepped up to the plate for 62 years and then boom, they're out because of one bad year," Fleis said.

Larry Butcher ran the program as a volunteer for 17 years but the program struggled badly last year and a turf war ensued between Butcher and a county-appointed committee, Griner said.

The Legion had agreed to hire a qualified person to run the program this year and require all parent volunteers go through extensive background checks, but the parks board rejected the proposal.

"There were some very serious problems at the American Legion baseball program last year that were alarming to us," parks commissioner Chris Byrne said. "I am not at all confident that American Legion will be able to run a quality baseball program."

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