October 4, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Summer Heating Up With Baseball:

Even though high school playoffs are concluding – baseball is just heating up with the start of American Legion Baseball, Connie Mack, travel clubs, and scout teams throughout the southland state.

Players from high schools and community colleges once again will lace up their cleats and join various teams to continue playing baseball, honing their skills and hoping to be seen by scouts and college.

Santa Monica American Legion baseball has been around for more than 50 years and has seen such players don its jersey as Tim Leary, Tony Tarasco, James Cooper, Dave Montanri, Cody Decker, and Tyler Skaggs. There were some great early years in the mid 70s led by coaches Al Montanri and Tom McCaffery when Santa Monica had Legion teams that went to the finals and semi-finals in 74, 75 and 77 and won the American Legion National Championship in 1976.

Coach Montanri and McCaffery are responsible for starting Santa Monica’s American Legion team, and Montanri is still involved as its general manager. “We can use some sponsors and donations for the team. It’s not cheap to keep the team going so any help we can find would make it better for our players to compete,” Montanri said.

Santa Monica fields two American Legion teams this summer. An A and B, the former this year being for older players between 18 and 19 years of age, who are leaving high school or have spent one year playing in college. The B team this year will be made up of high school junior and sophomore varsity players.

“Coach Sheldon Phillip-Guide asked that we keep the core group of the Santa Monica High (SaMoHi) varsity team together. But generally, the Santa Monica team is not a development program for SaMoHi, and there will be players on the team this year from St. Monica High and New Roads,” Larry Areola, coach of the A team said.

Unlike Connie Mack league and club or travel teams that can select players from anywhere in the country to come play for them, American Legion limits its teams to district boundaries. Santa Monica can only use players from SaMoHi, St. Monica, Crossroads, Malibu, New Roads, Windward, and Pacifica Christian.

There are a total of six A and six B teams in the district. In the A league there are Beverly Hills, Fairfax, Palisades, Westchester, University and Santa Monica. In the B league there are Brentwood, Malibu, Windward, Westchester, Palisades, and Santa Monica.

Coaches Dave Montanri and Larry Arreola will manage the Santa Monica A Team and coach Doug Kim, who last year led the B team one game short from going to the state tournament, and SaMoHi JV coach Richard Armendariz. Coach Sheldon Philip-Guide, coach of the varsity team will also lend his time to overseeing the B team.

There will be 16 games played over a six week period to determine the district’s champion, and they will go on to play in a double elimination area tournament. Area winners then go on to the state tournament held in Yountville, CA and played on Borman Field, on the grounds of the Yountville Veterans Home.

There are still spots available for players on the A team

Play begins on Sat., June 4, around the district with half of this year’s games being played on various high school fields and the other half at Jackie Robinson Stadium, home of the UCLA Bruins.

Santa Monica A Team opens play against Palisades at Palisades. Game time is Saturday 11 a.m.

Santa Monica B Team plays Monday, June 6, at 5 p.m. against Brentwood at Brentwood High.

in Sports
Related Posts

Former Angels Communications Director Eric Kay Sentenced to 22 Years in Tyler Skaggs Overdose Case

October 14, 2022

October 14, 2022

October sentencing comes over three years after 2019 overdose in Southlake, Texas Former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay was...

Update: Santa Monica Girls Softball Team Fundraising for USA Softball National Championships

July 25, 2022

July 25, 2022

By Ashley Sloan The Santa Monica Girls U14 Softball Fastpitch team has advanced to the USA Softball National Championship in...

Super Bowl Pre-Game Show to Be Broadcast From Santa Monica Pier

February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022

The Santa Monica Pier will be the location for the Super Bowl Pre-Game show broadcast. Learn more in this video...

Santa Monica Youth Basketball Staying and Playing Strong

October 13, 2021

October 13, 2021

By Dr. Paul Drew Hello everyone, I’m Dr. Paul Drew.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to...

Local Hoopers Rejoice As Venice Basketball League Returns

September 6, 2021

September 6, 2021

The Venice Basketball League is officially back on the courts after nearly 2 years of closure. Nick Ansom joins us...

Westside Olympic Swimmer Shares Her Journey To The Games

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2021

Two time Olympian, Westside Local, and Medical Student Andi Murez has returned from the Tokyo games, hear about her journey...

Local Little League All-Star Team Wins More Than Just Championships

August 10, 2021

August 10, 2021

The Venice Baseball Academy’s little league team, the Tide, recently won the SoCal State Championships but it’s more than winning...

Crossroads Wins CIF and State Regionals

June 15, 2021

June 15, 2021

The Crossroads Varsity Boys Soccer Team had a stellar championship season starting with a true underdog story with CIF Division 6 Playoff...

Samohi Vikings Frosh-Soph Defeat Culver City Centaurs in Final Seconds

April 20, 2021

April 20, 2021

2020 was a tough year for Santa Monica High School football as Covid-19 restrictions forced all high school sports to...

Pali Riptide Baseball Club Tryouts

January 7, 2021

January 7, 2021

January 9th and 10th at Pali Rec Center The Pali Riptide Baseball Club is preparing for a spring season and...

Grand Jury Indicts Former Angel Employee in Tyler Skaggs’ Fatal Overdose

October 19, 2020

October 19, 2020

Fort Wayne grand jury indicts Eric Prescott Kay on drug distribution and drug conspiracy charges By Sam Catanzaro A federal...

Column: How to Play it Safe to Prevent Deadly Heat Exhaustion

August 24, 2020

August 24, 2020

By Shawn McCann  As the Southland region broils in a summer heatwave, the coronavirus pandemic has created additional concern for...

Former Angels Employee Charged in Tyler Skagg’s Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020

Former Angels Communications Director Eric Prescott Kay faces up to 20 years in prison By Sam Catanzaro An ex-employee of...

LA Marathon to Exclude Santa Monica

July 24, 2020

July 24, 2020

Race organizers, citing “bigger footprint at the finish line”, choose Century City end point By Sam Catanzaro Santa Monica has...