american legion baseball is just around the corner; tryouts are next saturday
Brenden Asher will be returning to the American Legion Indians summer baseball program later this month. Asher has been pitching at Oral Roberts University.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
May 9, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
It’s been 89 years since a bespectacled World War I veteran named James MacGregor organized the first Bartlesville American Legion junior baseball team.
That program begins its 90th-straight summer season with this weekend’s Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians tryouts at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium. The opening session is set next Saturday at 11 a.m.
In the early spring of 1936, the Bartlesville James H. Teel American Legion Post #105 assigned MacGregor to organizing a summer baseball team of teenage boys.
He faithfully fulfilled his duty. At the first-ever tryout, approximately 40 boys showed up. Others wandered in the next day.
From that gritty genesis grew a gigantic summer tradition that has continued without interruption since 1936.
This weekend’s American Legion tryouts will set up the scenario for the 90th consecutive season — all of them played by Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
Veteran head coach John Pannell is looking forward to the 2025 version of a tradition that has been a dominant team of this life — since his boyish days more than four decades ago attending games as a young boy with his dad to his Legion playing days and to his 30-plus summers as a coach and/or tournament director.
The season debut is set for May 27 in Wichita, Kan. The Indians will turn on the Spence Rigdon Field lights in Doenges Stadium on May 30 for their home opener. Then the season will be off and running, consuming all of June and a huge chunk of July — and, if things go as hoped, on to the American Legion World Series.
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Jaxon Zaun and Zane Strickland react during the Glen Winget Memorial Baseball Tournament last season. Both players are expected to return to this year’s Bartlesville American Legion baseball program.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sport
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The Indians will play again a hybrid schedule, consisting partly of American Legion contests, non-legion battles and college league games. Their home opponent on May 30 will be the Kansas Curve of the Kansas Collegiate League.
More than a dozen players already have committed to play for Bartlesville. Together, this is a formidable group of superior talents on the high school and older level and much college experience thrown in. Fans should witness plenty of high-quality baseball by their home team.
Among the veterans that could wear an Indians uniform are Brendan Asher, Bryce Luelf, Eli Winter, Brett Eaves, Jaxon Zaun, Kael Siemers, Cole Hancock, Hunter Shea, Liam Buchanan, Bryce Sickler, Zane Griggs, Lathe Griggs, Ryan Jones, Zane Stricklin, Bryce Redlands, Tristian Thomas, Tucker Wooten and Grant Clark. In addition, Matt Winters will serve as a pitching coach but also be available to pitch in some of the college league games.
Pannell said he’s keeping a few other spots open for additional high school talent to build on for the next few years.
Asher comes on board after his freshman season pitching for Oral Roberts University.
Through Thursday he has made 10 appearances (seven starts), recorded 1-2 record and 6.45 earned run average with 22 strikeouts and only six walks in 30.2 innings.
Wooten has an interesting connection. His father played with Pannell in the 1990s at Southeastern Oklahoma State. As a freshman catcher this spring at Carl Albert State College, Wooten batted .272 with 11 extra base hits, 31 RBI and 24 runs scored.
Hancock — a Dewey High product — owns a 3-0 record and 5.28 ERA for the red-hot Oklahoma Wesleyan University team, which currently is in the hunt to qualify for the NAIA World Series. He has struck out 22 batters in just 12.4 innings.
Along with a veteran team Pannell has assembled a highly-experienced staff, including Jared Baughn, Brent Butler, Chris Shaw and Trent Radebaugh.
Radebaugh is one of the top home run hitters in Indians’ history. On a magic night in 1997 at Ponca City, he belted three homers and a triple and drove in 12 or 13 runs in one game.
With what appear to be some pretty formidable talents in place, the Indians make this 90th season one to remember.