S.C. American Legion State Championship begins
Local teams Richland Post 6 and West Columbia Post 79 will compete with six others for the title.
History will brim with every pitch, hit, and close play again when the 2010 American Legion Baseball State Championship Tournament is played in Columbia for the first time since it all started around 1929.
This year’s presentation begins Friday, July 23 and concludes its five–day run on Tuesday, July 27. Most of the minimum of 14 games will be held at Columbia’s historic Capital City Stadium whose turf has created memories since 1905. On the first day, the two early games will be played at nine and 9 a.m. with the final two at Memorial beginning at 3 and 7 p.m. The games are sponsored by the South Carolina National Guard as part of its recruiting effort with other major sponsorship coming from the City of Cayce.
When Kirby Higbe was a young kid, there was no Little League, Dixie Youth, or any other organized baseball for youngsters other than high school competition. In Milbank, S.D. in 1925 the American Legion established the country’s oldest youth sports program. One year later, it fielded its first teams with 16 states participating.
South Carolina entered the picture in 1929 and was in the national spotlight two years later. Columbia’s Richland Post 6 met Chicago for the national championship of the Legion’s version of the World Series. In what was then known as the Little World Series, Columbia High School and Post 6 star Kirby Higbe would set the table to become the first of many American Legion players to make it to “the show” as a big leaguer pitching for four National League teams.
What vaulted the then 16–year–old into the spotlight was the national championship game in 1931 facing Chicago. Higbe pitched a 14–inning complete game only to lose in the David vs. Goliath game 1–0. A year later, Higbe was signed by the Pittsburg Pirates organization for a $500 bonus and $300 a month.
Once he overcame his wild streak on the mound and found the groove, Kirby worked with several minor league and other local teams. In 1936, the 5’11”, 190–pound player joined the Chicago Cubs, and then was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, and again to the Brooklyn Dodgers. He entered the Army serving in Europe and was discharged in 1946. He returned to the Dodgers and posted a record of 17–8 and was chosen to that year’s All–Star game. Kirby then went back to Pittsburgh before finishing his big league career with the New York Giants on May 6, 1950. His overall worksheet was 118–101 and an ERA of 3.69.
Higbe came back to Columbia, coached Legion ball with Post 55, worked with the state prison system, and wrote a book that reflected his pitching style and life’s philosophy. It was
titled High Hard One.
He passed away on May 6, 1985, at age 70 and was interred at Columbia’s Elmwood Cemetery.
Kirby Higbe was more than a high school, America Legion, and major league star. He was also willing to put his life on the line by fighting for his country.
That’s what American Legionnaires have always done.
A few other s who played Legion and big league baseball: Likely, the most famous of all Legion players from South Carolina has been former Sumter P–15s and Yankees star Bobby Richardson. Others from the Palmetto State include Columbia area players Jerry Martin, Jeff Twitty, and Bill Landrum. But the list is replete with current greats including Chipper Jones and Albert Pujols. Then there are so many others including Ted Williams, Roger Clemens, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, (who broke into pro baseball on the field at Capital City Stadium with the Columbia Reds), Warren Spahn, Gregg Maddux, Dale Murphy, Stan Musial, Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Carlton Fisk, Dave Winfield, and Carl Yastrzemski. The list is too long to include them all.
Take note of the young men on the field of the 2010 S.C. American Legion State Championship Tournament. You may see their names on major league scoreboards faster than you might think.
