MUNCIE, Ind. — During the first practice in late-May, Ken Svokel, coach of Muncie's American Legion Post 19 Chiefs baseball team, could see the excitement among his players.
High school rivals playfully chirped back and forth as they knocked off the rust from nearly three months of inactivity. During their last practice before their season-opener on June 14, that kind of nonchalant attitude was still there. Guys joked around as they loosened up their arms and Svokel teased one player who strolled into practice a few minutes late.
Some players on this year's legion team are fresh off their freshman year of college while others are using this summer to get a few reps in before they head off the school in the fall.