The American Legion Post 52 of Easley celebrated a century of American Legion baseball in the United States, during the final game of the regular season the evening of Monday, July 14, 2025, played on the former Alice Mill baseball field. The special night included recognition of the names of Legion alumni players and coaches, a flag ceremony with the Post 52 Honor Guard (John Carpenter, Barry Harrow, Ed Leese, and Rick Stover), the singing of the national anthem by Post 52 member Marion Summey, the first ceremonial pitch by past Adjutant Paul Smith, who gave a speech about Legion baseball, and a fireworks show after the game — which Easley won 10 to 3 against Klutch Collegiate from Augusta, Georgia. Free cupcakes were provided by the American Legion Post 52 Ladies Auxiliary after the fireworks.

Legion baseball began nationally on July 17, 1925. It was announced at Monday night’s game that baseball began 75 years ago with Easley’s Post 52, the only Legion post in Pickens County with a baseball team. Smith, who served as Post 52’s Adjutant from 2013 until the beginning of 2021, told The Pickens County Chronicle, “I’ve been a member of the Legion 26 years, and I’ve been involved with baseball for the last 12 years. I first got involved in 2013, when I was elected to Adjutant. In 2013, they were about to shut the team down, and a fellow by the name of Dick Meyers and I went to work, and we begged and borrowed and got the members to come up with enough money and the city and businesses and everybody to jump in and help. We used old uniforms and whatever we could get our hands on. They were talking about stopping it, but we stopped them from stopping it.

“I feel like it’s more than just baseball. I personally do. I feel like, once we get the boys on the field, we give them a chance to share the true meaning of what it is to be an American.” Smith mentioned the American Legion baseball creed, which is read before each game: “I will keep the rules, keep faith with my teammates, keep my temper, keep myself fit, keep a stout heart in defeat, keep my pride under in victory, keep a sound soul, a clean mind, and a healthy body.” Smith added that the players learn to respect the American flag, which he called “our symbol of freedom,” and the players, he said, learn a sportsman-like attitude without arguing with other players or with umpires. “It’s a learning experience, we hope, for the young people, as well as their learning how to play baseball,” he said. “It’s more than just a game. That’s the way we approach it, from the American Legion. Part of our goal, in the American Legion, is to teach our youth about the American freedoms and why we have them and how we have them. That’s part of what we do. That makes a big difference.”

The coaches for Post 52 are head coach Jonathan Hall and assistant coaches Darren Breazeale, Matt Eubanks, and Kaden Long. Smith said that the Athletic Director is Dan Frawley. Legion home games are played on the former Alice Mill baseball field, which is now owned by the City of Easley.

“The coaches have done a great job,” Smith said. “I think this is the third year for the current coaches, and they have done a great job with it. They are heading to the playoffs next week.”

Past coaches, he said, have included Gregg Powell and Randy Bray (who coached for 31 years, including in 2001 when the Post 52 team won the American Legion state championship).

“This year, they’ve been extremely good. I’m real proud of our boys this year. I’m real proud of the way they played. I’m more proud of how they acted and showed a lot of sportsmanship. That’s very strong, and that’s part of what we want to teach them. That’s important.”

Smith told The Chronicle, “I think it’s important for people to know there are 90 plus teams in South Carolina and 3,500 plus teams across the United States. And all of them are like us — they furnish the uniforms, the balls, the insurance, everything the player needs to play ball. Of course, most of the players today have their own bats and gloves and shoes.”

Smith mentioned that scouts have come to the Legion games. “I used to work the gates, selling tickets, and, when the college coaches came in, they would tell us, so I know that we had them. It gives the boys an opportunity to play and to move on. And I’ve heard it said that, if you could play American Legion baseball, you could play college baseball.”

Smith said that, for the regular season, the Legion team plays close to home. “We play, usually, within a 50- to 75-mile trip of Easley. I think we’ve got Greenwood, Spartanburg, Greer, Anderson, Greenville. We play pretty close. And, then, we start moving out when we get to the playoffs. We’ll move down to Sumter and Florence, and, then, if we win that, then we go to places like Richmond, Virginia. It’s a pretty organized game, and, from here on out, it’s pretty competitive.” The American Legion Baseball World Series games, he said, are televised in August. (The American Legion Baseball World Series will begin August 14 at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, North Carolina.)

Smith said that he felt honored to throw out the first pitch during Monday night’s game, as the Legion celebrated the momentous occasion of Legion Baseball’s 100 years. “I felt honored to be asked to do that, because I felt there were other people more qualified to do that. But I felt honored to do it. I’m on a rollator right now, because I fell back in December and broke my back, and I haven’t been able to get back to full movement yet. But I did the best I could for an old boy who pitched in high school and American Legion ball way back yonder. At least, I got it across the plate.”

Smith played baseball in high school in Bishopville, South Carolina and American Legion baseball at Sumter. “I went off to college to play baseball,” he said, “but I got redshirted my first year.” At the age of 19, he said, he dropped out of college and joined the United States Air Force. “I probably missed an opportunity to carry on with baseball. I love baseball. I loved playing baseball. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve tried to play ball most of my life, but, of course, you get too old to where you can’t play. But I have grand nephews playing, and that’s exciting to me, to watch them play.”

As the American Legion celebrates 100 years of Legion baseball, Smith reflected upon a century of more than just a game. “I read an article in the American Legion magazine this month,” he said. “The article summed it up with saying, ‘We must be doing something right, to have baseball for 100 years.’” He agreed. “We must be doing something right.”