American Legion World Series

[MulePanther]

Texarkana American Legion has advanced to the semi-finals of the American Legion World Series.  Texarkana went 2 and 1 in pool play to finish second in their pool.  They will play Indiana at 6:30 Monday night.  Single Elimination now.  The game can be seen on ESPNU.

Results
California 4 - Texarkana 2
Texarkana 8 - Rhode Island 3
Texarkana 7 - Virginia 5

[Proud Buckaroo]

Texarkana trails 4-3 in the top of the 5th inning.

[Proud Buckaroo]

Texarkana Arkansas takes the trophy. 8-6 was your final score!

[~WPS~]

Congrats to Texarkana and especially former Nashville Scrapper Nick Myers!

[bleudog]

Congrats to Texarkana and especially former Nashville Scrapper Nick Myers!

Team also included Beau Burson of Smackover and Will Smith of Junction City.

[TheSpecial]

Incredible to see, hopefully put a boost underneath a "dying" legion program in AR. Great job on representing us.

[~WPS~]

Team also included Beau Burson of Smackover and Will Smith of Junction City.

A lot of good players from south Arkansas.

[WPWells]

Congratulations to Texarkana, but man I feel sorry for Bryant thinking what could have been

[jr17]

Congrats to Texarkana!! That's so awesome for the state!

[bleudog]

http://www.legion.org/baseball/233820/award-winners-all-tournament-team-announced

[Walter]

congrats to the Hogs.

[cardsfan10]

Ironic that they got a leadership and sportsmanship award.

The Texarkana coach refused to wait and play a game that would have been played if he would have agreed to it. But he refused to even discuss it with Bryant's coach when he reached out. Nice lesson for the kids. If you don't have to play the other team to win - do everything you can to avoid it. I suppose that works for some, but I'd like to think that if Bryant was given the choice, we would have played for the championship on the field rather than be "awarded" the championship in a hotel room. 

As the Bryant kids were leaving the hotel after being refused an explanation by the tournament director (actually he refused to see them) - the Texarkana players mocked them from their hotel window and pointed to their awarded championship trophy.

Texarkana was a great team - they were talented and showed a lot of grit by coming back like they did. But they weren't great sportsman. Another call the legion got wrong.

[bobcat72476]

What happened to Bryant was awful and never should have happened.  However, you cannot put that on the coach from Texarkana.  Bryant coaches would have done the same thing to Texarkana if the shoe were on the other foot.  The blame is solely on whoever made the final decision to not play the game.  As for the sportsmanship award, I figure that was based on the way the coaches and kids behaved at the World Series.  Again, I hate it for Bryant, but it shows that we have excellent talent in the state.  I am sure that if Bryant had gone instead of Texarkana, they would have won the whole thing as well.

[SWARK16]

I just want to know how a team from "Texarkana" won the World Series when there was literally only one kid from Texarkana on the team.

[RabidWolf]

I will say, I'm a little partial to Bryant in this argument because they are all Bryant kids (as far as I know, I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong)  texarkana has kids from 9 schools if I counter right.

Regardless, their grit and refusal to give up was amazing. I'm highly impressed and send a huge congratulations to them! I think all but 3 come back. But those 3 are pretty darn good ball players!

[bleudog]

I didn't keep up with this until the World Series.  Since Arkansas had two teams in the Regional, I'm guessing it was played in Arkansas and one team was a state champ and the other a host team.  Did Bryant or Texarkana win the state tournament?

[RabidWolf]

Texarkana

[2aball]

Nice year for AR Legion ball. An Arkansas team wins the world series all while leaving arguably the best team in the state at home. Arkansas may very well have had the two best legion teams in the country this year.

[WPWells]

Nice year for AR Legion ball. An Arkansas team wins the world series all while leaving arguably the best team in the state at home. Arkansas may very well have had the two best legion teams in the country this year.

Three - the Fort Smith Sportsmen were also a great team

[NEA Razorback olfan]

Congrats on the Championship

[MulePanther]

Nice year for AR Legion ball. An Arkansas team wins the world series all while leaving arguably the best team in the state at home. Arkansas may very well have had the two best legion teams in the country this year.

Not sure how you can say arguably the best team in the state was left at home when the two teams in question, Texarkana and Bryant played 6 times with Texarkana winning 4 of the 6

[WPWells]

Not sure how you can say arguably the best team in the state was left at home when the two teams in question, Texarkana and Bryant played 6 times with Texarkana winning 4 of the 6

Because arguably the best team was left at home. Game 6 was a throwaway and everyone knows that, and in game 7 Bryant would have had Jackson going. So yeah, Bryant may have been the best team in the state.

[~WPS~]

Seems to me winning the state championship makes a team the best in the state.

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

Once again, you're never going to appease everyone. Texarkana reaps rewards from good kids and good coaching regardless of what anyone from Bryant will tell you. What's even more sad is how the parents of these kids acted. It was a horrible situation for everyone involved regardless of what side you were on. How we handle these situations is how the kids are taught in life. It speaks volumes from what I've seen over the last two weeks on social media from Bryant parents and former parents absolutely disgusting. I had a lot of respect for Bryant and their kids before this, they've spent the last 2 weeks undermining another group of 17-19 year olds down the road all for their own glory. We get it. You're Bryant. You ran threw high school with a great team and you're not used to being defeated 4 times in one year much less 4 times by the same team. You will also hear the argument that Bryant is full of Bryant kids this is also true, but don't let that fool you. Bryant is the 2nd largest school in Arkansas with almost 4000 kids in their domencile not to mention they have a systematic program where their kids all stay together throughout their lives. While they live in a white picket fence world. Places like Texarkana do not. They are filled with players from 5A schools down. I mean no disrespect to anyone on this board although many will take issue with what I said. Texarkana is very deserving. I'm not here to convert any Bryant fans or make argument to those who will continually sing Bryant's praises. I'm here to say that Texarkana is the best team in the nation and was proved on the field regardless of what happened in Litte Rock.

[WPWells]

I'm not from Bryant, and you just proved my point.

[RabidWolf]

I, for one, am happy to see a team from our state succeed and I am incredibly happy for the young men of the Razorbacks. One team a year gets to enjoy what they did, and the way they battled back time afree time shows how strong their will and determination is. I take nothing away from those young men.

While being excited for those men, I also feel for the Black Sox roster. You cannot blame them for being upset that a game they were told wasn't of any importance to them ended up ending their season. Anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that any team can beat anyone regardless of how many times they've played and what their series record is  so yes, texarkana did win 4-6 vs Bryant. But those were two incredibly talented teams, and that state championship game was set to be Jackson vs the razorbacks ace and would've made for an incredible state championship game. And to me, it is insanely impressive that they all play together. It should happen more often. There's no way you can spin them being successful in high school, and playing as a team in summer year after year as a negative. But like I said, I'm insanely happy for the players of the razorbacks. I couldn't be more excited for them. But that doesn't mean I have to support what happened to Bryant.

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

Obviously we are on two separate pages. As I stated. Bryant has a right to be upset it was not a great situation for anyone but I'll be the first to tell you that parents not kids alike if the shoe was on the other foot would've acted in the same form or fashion. Like I previously stated how you handle yourselves through adversity will be shown greatly through your character and I'm sorry but seeing the things I saw was disgusting it's that simple. Grown men and women. Rabidwolf do you condone that because if you do your no better than the ones who were doing it? I never said you had to like any outcome that wasn't the right one. My post was about moral
Character and teaching our kids what's right about our actions what are we teaching if we are no better then the men who made the decision.?

[RabidWolf]

I can't say I condone what I haven't seen. I will never condone bashing another team for something they had no control over. That meaning Bryant bashing the razorbacks for the outcome. But at the same time, wouldn't class also be shown if texarkana players and coaches said nothing about Bryant and just celebrated their success?

[WPWells]

I, for one, am happy to see a team from our state succeed and I am incredibly happy for the young men of the Razorbacks. One team a year gets to enjoy what they did, and the way they battled back time afree time shows how strong their will and determination is. I take nothing away from those young men.

While being excited for those men, I also feel for the Black Sox roster. You cannot blame them for being upset that a game they were told wasn't of any importance to them ended up ending their season. Anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that any team can beat anyone regardless of how many times they've played and what their series record is  so yes, texarkana did win 4-6 vs Bryant. But those were two incredibly talented teams, and that state championship game was set to be Jackson vs the razorbacks ace and would've made for an incredible state championship game. And to me, it is insanely impressive that they all play together. It should happen more often. There's no way you can spin them being successful in high school, and playing as a team in summer year after year as a negative. But like I said, I'm insanely happy for the players of the razorbacks. I couldn't be more excited for them. But that doesn't mean I have to support what happened to Bryant.

This

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

Have yet to see one player or one coach speak on behalf of the incident. So again on behalf of your words I can't not condone something I don't see. I'm sure Texarkana is probably too busy celebrating to worry about what's been said or hasn't been said. These are just my thoughts on it as well as you. We are two board junkies which isn't saying much for either of us. Enjoy your day.

[WPWells]

Have yet to see one player or one coach speak on behalf of the incident. So again on behalf of your words I can't not condone something I don't see. I'm sure Texarkana is probably too busy celebrating to worry about what's been said or hasn't been said. These are just my thoughts on it as well as you. We are two board junkies which isn't saying much for either of us. Enjoy your day.

A Texarkana coach went out of his way to rub it in when a Twitter account talked about how sick they felt for Bryant

[HorseFeathers]

A Texarkana coach went out of his way to rub it in when a Twitter account talked about how sick they felt for Bryant

link?

[Dalegribble]

Should have knocked them out when u had a chance!!no such thing as a game that doesn't matter.why not let Jackson close the game out and still b able to pitch the next game.

[WPWells]

Should have knocked them out when u had a chance!!no such thing as a game that doesn't matter.why not let Jackson close the game out and still b able to pitch the next game.

It actually would have hurt them to win that game because the team from Missouri would have had to play one less game. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard to suggest that. If I were Bryant I'd be suing the American Legion for ending their season on a tiebreaker that's not in the rulebook

[Dalegribble]

It actually would have hurt them to win that game because the team from Missouri would have had to play one less game. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard to suggest that. If I were Bryant I'd be suing the American Legion for ending their season on a tiebreaker that's not in the rulebook

they would have won then and y'all could quit crying like girls both teams could have beat Missouri so beat the teams that beat you in the state tourney

[WPWells]

they would have won then and y'all could quit crying like girls both teams could have beat Missouri so beat the teams that beat you in the state tourney

Literally the only ones making that argument are the Texarkana people. I have no affiliation with Bryant in any way. Congratulations on the championship, but there's a good chance y'all wouldn't have even been there if things had worked out how they were supposed to

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

Hey Fred Bird, take a back seat. The whole state of Arkansas is behind Texarkana and the support is undeniable beyond a select few from Bryant and Fort Smith. The two most especially upset teams over this. Fort Smith has to feel relevant given the fact they are the 3rd wheel in a two team party. It's evident there's a complex here. Texarkana was State Champion out right had the regional been anywhere but Arkansas Bryant wouldn't have been there not to mention this is the first time since it's been in Arkansas that they've taken the top 2 instead of a true host team. So please do us all a favor from state and sit down.

[WPWells]

Hey Fred Bird, take a back seat. The whole state of Arkansas is behind Texarkana and the support is undeniable beyond a select few from Bryant and Fort Smith. The two most especially upset teams over this. Fort Smith has to feel relevant given the fact they are the 3rd wheel in a two team party. It's evident there's a complex here. Texarkana was State Champion out right had the regional been anywhere but Arkansas Bryant wouldn't have been there not to mention this is the first time since it's been in Arkansas that they've taken the top 2 instead of a true host team. So please do us all a favor from state and sit down.

Everyone from Texarkana is deflecting. They know they lucked out not having to face Jackson. Enjoy your championship*

[RabidWolf]

Just curious because I really do not know.

Did texarkana face jackson at all this summer? What were the results?  Just wondering.

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

Twice, came in to close a game out and scored a 1 in the game Texarkana won 8-2. Second one they lost in state 10-0.

[SWARK16]

Jackson had a 15 inning scoreless streak going against Texarkana

[JohnnyBoyDogs]

False. Only threw 10 innings against Texarkana 1st inning he threw against them this year they scored a run on him. Try again. You want the books. I ran them I can get you a copy.

[WPWells]

The thing that really gets me is that Texarkana won't even admit that Bryant was jobbed. They know that there was a very strong chance they would have lost, so they're deflecting everything. They were scared and probably relieved to not have to face Jackson. This is such a weak attitude that they've shown.

[TheSpecial]

How about we all just be happy that an Arkansas team brought home the national championship? I feel like either team could've won it and we had the two best programs in the U.S., but we had to send Texarkana, they did a great job there, Bryant could've done the same. Yes, I do pity Bryant for being clipped out, but it's how things fell to be at the end. Just deal with it, there's no reason to hate on Texark for being selected. They were a great team, I don't think there is any denying that, and the kid are still all teenagers, they aren't gonna think of the other team when celebrating especially win it meant their season gone if it fell the other way and cut it short for them. I have no dog in this, my team played both Texark and Bryant, I thought they were equally talented. Just please making this big deal over how it ended at regionals.

[NEA Razorback olfan]

It's over , get em next year

[GHS_08]

I just want to know how a team from "Texarkana" won the World Series when there was literally only one kid from Texarkana on the team.

The kids don't have to be from Texarkana. American Legion teams are split up into districts that they can draw kids from basically. Blytheville legion team had players from Gosnell, Osceola, Rivercrest, Manila, Armorel. Basically all over Mississippi county.

[RedWolf275]

Great job Texarkana legion team! You will forever be 2016 American Legion World Series champs.

[sickwillie]

It was great watching these young men represent the state of Arkansas with tremendous class and enthusiasm

[bleudog]

http://www.legion.org/baseball/234672/alws-champs-attend-mlb-world-series-cleveland

[T-Bone]

I do not have a horse in this race other than being in NE Arkansas and have had one son play a very small amount of legion.  My son now does HS and then showcase ball.  If it is travel ball, legion ball, or showcase, it is baseball and I am glad to see kids have a variety.  I have yet to see a dominant team in legion but I have also not seen many games from legion.  I know there are some and possibly many.  I will say that I love to watch a good game no matter which direction they go.  I say congratulations to both teams.  Sounds like they represented Arkansas well on the field.