Westfield Post 124’s Brennan Jarvis scores a run in a 2018 American Legion Baseball playoff game at Bullens Field. The 2020 season was canceled Tuesday due to the ongoing pandemic. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – Westfield Post 124 – – and every other American Legion baseball team in America – – will be asked to keep the benches warm for another year.
American Legion Baseball Athletic Committee District 3 Chairman Thomas H. Pitoniak announced Tuesday that the 2020 Legion baseball season has been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic associated with the coronavirus.
It is only the second time since 1926 that a Legion baseball season has been canceled.
“This is a sad day indeed for American Legion Baseball in Massachusetts,” Pitoniak stated in an email sent out to team managers and media outlets across the region. “It is with deep regret that the National Organization has decided to cancel the 2020 season effective immediately due to the continuing events resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This decision comes on the heels of American Legion Baseball’s announcement in early April that this year’s World Series and Regional tournament would be canceled due to all of the health concerns associated with playing those games.
“I feel very disappointed for the kids who lost their high school (baseball) seasons and now the opportunity for Legion (baseball),” said Westfield Post 124 manager Don Irzyk, who acknowledged his agreement that the health of local ball players should be the number one concern.
The decision is a major blow to the local Senior and Junior clubs, whose optimism for success in 2020 ran high.
Two years ago, the Westfield Junior Legion team completed an unbeaten regular season and earned a trip to the regionals. Several of those players were expected to make up the 2020 and 2021 Senior roster.
