Hamlet looking to host big-ticket American Legion baseball events

HAMLET — The Hamlet City Council is working to pave the way for some major baseball events at Memorial Park after reviving American Legion baseball last year following a 12-year hiatus.

Both Mayor Bill Bayless and Councilman Eddie Martin have heard rumors about the potential for a statewide American Legion baseball playoff game to be played at Memorial Park in 2023, provided the city makes some improvements to the field to bring it up to the state’s standards.

Additionally, according to Martin, Post 49 Head Coach Chip Gordon wants to hold a George Whitfield Invitational Baseball Tournament at the park, which could be possible this year. Martin added that this wouldn’t require the field to be up to the same standards as the state American Legion playoff game, and said that Whitfield — a legend in the state who has won four state championships as head baseball coach in Richmond County for Hamlet High School and Richmond Senior High School to go along wit ha stellar career winning percentage of .83 — told him personally that he would support this event in any way he could.

“I would hope that we could get things going, and [the George Whitfield Invitational] would be a good start for people to see the park and see how well we’ve come along with it,” Martin said. “It might entice more players to want to play.”

If the city wants to host a state playoff game next year, preparations need to start now, Martin said.

City Manager Matthew Christian said that the minimum improvements to host a state playoff game would include work on the lights, the netting, the backstop and the scoreboard. These are estimated to cost about $147,000, though Christian said this figure has likely changed since it was first calculated.

Currently, the lights would be the biggest expense. Replacing 44 fixtures with 600-watt ATG Sport Light is estimated to cost $79,224.57.

To help pay for it, Hamlet would use the $125,000 grant received from the state for improvements to their recreation offerings. At their January called meeting, Councilwoman Abbie Covington motioned for the city to move forward with the improvements and the council approved it unanimously.

While the exact cost of these improvements is unknown, Christian said he would start the work and present the council with a budget amendment in the future if needed.

“If we’ve got the ball park in shape like it ought to be then there will be a state tournament here in ‘23,” Martin said.

Mayor Pro Tem Jesse McQueen expressed frustration with the look of the Memorial Park overall, and he and Covington reminisced about the glory days of the field in the 1990s.

“When you ride through there you expect that to be really really nice but it’s just not popping, it’s not coming close to popping,” McQueen said.

Christian said city staff has identified a number of other improvements to the park that are needed in general but which don’t relate directly to holding a state playoff game. Those improvements include fixing the bathrooms, rehabbing the bleachers, and addressing the aesthetics of the park.

The city manager will provide an update on the progress at the park at their called meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Chip Gordon did not respond to a request for comment by press time Monday.

Giving a boost to downtown

The state also provided the city with a $125,000 grant for downtown improvements. Christian identified adding benches and trash cans — 12 benches along Main Street and six new trash cans on both Main Street and Hamlet Avenue for a total estimated cost of $37,200 — downtown would be a good start in “bringing life to the area.”

Christian said he would also be going door to door to speak to business and property owners downtown to see if they plan on improving their structure or if they’re just sitting on it. This process would include asking property owners for permission to paint certain key areas, applying vinyl coverings to windows, and considering strategic acquisitions such as inherited real estate that the owners may be looking to part with, according to the meeting materials.

“If we do that we can probably spend some money on some facade improvements, get things looking nice — really start to turn the tide on what people see when they come to Hamlet,” Christian said.

The council also unanimously voted to begin spending grant funds on these downtown projects.