Winter Baseball News... Samano out as Manager at Crown Point Post 20   in American Legion Baseball
	A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith 12-05-2009

CROWN POINT (12-05-2009)  When American Legion Post 20's baseball team takes the field in 2010, it will be under new direction.  The details aren't clear, but all involved confirm that the longtime agreement between Post 20 and the Tony Samano family (first Tony and then son Larry) to maintain the field and operate the ball club has come to an end.

The blow-up point apparently involved a water main break at the field in September, which upset post management, even though Larry Samano did leave his day job to attend to it.  But there's more to it than that.

No one ever suggested that the Samanos didn't spend endless hours maintaining Post 20's Teagle Field.  There have recently been problems between the Samanos (Tony managed the team for more than two decades before his son took over three years ago) and those who run Post 20.

"It was time for a change," said Tim Evans, the post's baseball chairman, who said that Marty Zurbriggen will manage the team in 2010.  "It was the decision of the post commander (Don Seles) to change things.  The Samanos did an excellent job for us for many years.  We appreciate all they did all that time.  But we just feel it's time for a change."

"Post 20 never supported us," said Larry Samano, Post 20's manager last summer.  "The field just happened to be on their land.  They never wanted to be a part of it even though we were successful.  I want to thank all the past players who played for us for the last 30 years and their parents.  I also want to thank our supporters who have been connected with Post 20 baseball for 30 years.  We thank them sincerely.  They all helped us make Post 20 baseball what it is."

Some at Post 20 seemed to feel the Samanos thought they owned the baseball team and the park.  The Samanos didn't feel the post supported the baseball program in word or deed.  Both sides are probably correct.
 

"We should have owned the field, because we took care of it for 30 years," Larry Samano said with no hesitation.  "Nobody else did.  This is a non-paid position.  And we didn't just want CP players.  We wanted other players from other schools to have a chance to play under the lights.  That's the whole idea.  To give boys a place to play during the summer.  And, through the 30 years we've been here, I think we've done that."
 

"We have a good reputation in Indiana and in Illinois as running a quality program.  When you hear Post 20 outside of this area, it's for the baseball program.  We're well recognized in American Legion baseball.  And most of that is because of my dad.  The post never really acknowledged that while he was here, and I don't know why."

The biggest concern is the ballpark.

Teagle Field, built in large part by Tony Samano, (a retired ironworker), is the jewel of American Legion baseball in Northwest Indiana.  Teagle's sky-high light towers west of Main Street at the north end of Crown Point have been a familiar summer sight for almost 30 years.  Without Teagle, the league would have gone out of existence in this corner of the state.  Without the Samanos (Tony Samano actually lived at the field during the summer for many years) Teagle Field's playing surface won't receive the daily care it once did.  In recent weeks, you can see weeds sprouting up in the infield after Larry Samano was no longer allowed to maintain the diamond.

"Don't worry about that.  The field will be taken care of," Evans said last week.  "Marty and Dave have enough expertise to keep it in good shape.  There are some weeds now but the field will be fine.  I'll help them.  Nothing will change."

All sources confirm the leadership change and word is there will be an announcement on the new Post 20 program after the first of the year.
 

Hammond Post 168, using a large part of the Lake Central high varsity, won the 2009 Indiana state title and was one win away from them qualifying for the American Legion World Series.  That's the model Post 20 may want to follow even if it means that Andrean, North Newton and Merrillville players are no longer allowed to play.

"We have a commitment from coach (Steve) Strayer that we'll get Crown Point players," said Evans.  "There may be a few (non-CP boys), but we want it to be 99% Crown Point kids."

Samano insists there were never any problems between his dad, himself and the Legion until the last three years.  He also said that the desire to be more of a "Crown Point" team was one  issue that never came up when he talked to legion officials.

"We had never been told they only wanted Crown Point players," he said.  "That was never said to me."

If Post 20 is largely the Crown Point High School summer baseball program, it could give the Legion a strong rivalry with Hammond Post 168.  The Lake Central-Crown Point rivalry is one of the strongest in local high school baseball and local fans might want to see those two battle it out in June and July as well.

But while state champ Hammond was largely Lake Central, most Legion powers like Lafayette Post 11 and Plymouth Post 27 have players from four or five schools.

The Samanos raised all the funds for the ball club in recent years and there were arguments about whether the club made or lost money for the post.  But Evans insisted that also was not an issue.

"We never lost money," he said.  "A few years ago when both teams went to the state finals, we had to dip into post funds for hotels and travel.  But that's the only time.  The baseball program always pays for itself."

As long as the ballpark is maintained and baseball continues, Samano wished whoever takes over well in 2010 and beyond.  Samano wanted it known that his family has no quarrel with Crown Point baseball coach Steve Strayer and the CPHS program.

"He drove all the way to see us play when we were in the Midwest regional a few years ago," Samano recalled.  "It's not about him."


POST SAYS CHANGES WON'T MEAN LESS BASEBALL

CROWN POINT (12-05-2009) Post 20 baseball commander Tim Evans says that you should not assume that the departure of manager Larry Samano and the end of the 29-year association of the Samano family with Crown Point American Legion baseball means that the baseball program will be downsized or limited.

Evans promises its just the opposite. 

"Marty Zurbriggen (the "B" team manager) will be in charge of the baseball program," Evans said last week, "along with Dave Dickerson and myself.  Marty's managed the "B" team (age 17 and under) the last couple of years.  Dave Dickerson has done a good job for us with mailings and double mailings to supporters."
 

"The team's going to be Crown Point boys.  We'd gotten away from that in recent years.  We've got a commitment from coach (Steve) Strayer at the high school that we'll get Crown Point players.  We want there to be 99% Crown Point players."

Evans says the land on which Teagle Field sits, the only Post-owned American Legion ball park in this half of the state, will not be sold and that the baseball program will continue to have "A" (age 19 and under) and "B" (age 17 and under) teams for the foreseeable future.

"Nothing is going to change," Evans said.  "Except that we want it to be an all-Crown Point team."