Legion ball team being formed in Grant

By Becky Uehling

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

After an absence of several years, a junior legion baseball team, sponsored by the local Grant Legion Post, will be returning to Grant in 2023. 

Chris Fryzek, who is part of the group leading the effort to establish the team, was present at the Grant City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 26, where he shared the news with the council, and requested assistance to get the ball fields ready and to ask for potential monetary assistance. 

“I can safely say we will have a junior legion baseball team next year,” Fryzek said.

Fryzek said a board has been created to run the program. According to John Goddell, who will also be helping to coach the team, the Grant Legion Post 40 has committed to sponsoring the team. Also sponsoring will be Sandhills State Bank, and a few other sponsors are in the works. “And we have good parent support,” Fryzek said.

Fryzek applauded the efforts of both the Imperial and Ogallala Legion teams where Perkins County players have been participating, saying his hope is to continue the success that has been experienced in those communities, while adding another great team to the lineup of teams in the area. 

Fryzek said the Perkins County players would join efforts with players from Wallace and Paxton to enlarge the depth of the team. Both of those communities have offered to host practices and games for the team, but Fryzek stated he would much rather stay in Grant. 

However, work needs to be done to the fields to make them playable for legion games, including dirt work, adequate lighting, daily maintenance, updated dugouts, among other items, he said. 

The council requested Fryzek to come up with a list of items he felt needed to be completed at the baseball field to make it playable for legion games and to submit it to the city for consideration as they prepare their budget.

Those who would like more information about the legion team can contact Fryzek or John Goodell at 308-530-1684.