The Iola American Legion AA Indians play in the American Legion Baseball Division 2 Central Plains National Regional in Wahpeton, N.D., today.
Iola takes on Grafton, N.D., at 2 p.m. Ely, Minn., played Las Vegas, Nev., at 11 a.m. in the other game in Iola’s side of the bracket.
As of today, there was no radio station in Wahpeton set to broadcast or live stream all the games. If Iola fans go to www.wahpetonbaseball.org, the website has a live scoring option which is suppose to give updated scoring during the games.
Wisconsin Dells, Wisc., plays Plato, Minn., at 5 p.m. followed by Wahpeton taking on Groton, S.D., at 8 p.m. The opening ceremony for the regional tournament is at 7:30 p.m.
Iola is the 2012 Kansas American Legion AA State Champion, after beating Hays-TMP 6-2 Sunday in Sabetha. The Kansas champion advances to the Central Plains regional, which is hosted by Wahpeton, N.D.
Games begin today. The championship game is on Sunday.
If the Register learns more, it will provide information to the community. All tournament games are played at John Randall Field.
There was a banquet for all players and coaches along with parents on Wednesday evening.
Iola American Legion baseball tidbits:
— 2012 was the first time Iola American Legion Leslie J. Campbell Post 15 qualified an AA and an A baseball team to respective state tournaments. The A team program has been on-again, off-again and on-again over the past 20-plus years.
— The last time, and only other time, Iola AA Indians won a state championship in 1988, Iola Register City Editor Bob Johnson was the head coach. The 1988 Indians were 37-1. That year Iola had to play the Kansas AAA champion Salina for the right to advance to regional American Legion play. Iola’s AA team lost 3-2 and 4-2. The same team went back in 1990 and finished second with a 41-7 mark, losing to Marysville.
— In 1983 and 1984, Iola AA’s team went to the Kansas American Legion AA state tournament back-to-back with 2012 head coach Mike Taylor as a player. The 1984 team finished second, forcing a second championship game and losing to Marysville.
— Another connection to the 2012 and 1988 championship teams from Iola is the Collins family. Current assistant coach Roger Collins’ brother Gary was an assistant coach and nephew Jerry Collins played right field. Kris Collins, Roger’s son, is designated hitter and back-up first baseman.
— Dalton Smith, who was the winning pitcher for Iola in Sunday’s 2012 championship game, is from Yates Center. Yates Center American Legion AA team won three straight Kansas championship in 1968, 1969 and 1970 beating Marysville, Hays and Ransom.
