Kansas Post 539 looks as good as Grimes in opener

By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor bneilsen@jg-tc.com MATTOON — With big colorful Firecracker Classic logos in foul territory near each baseline, Grimes Field was looking as good as ever Monday. “This is an awesome field,” Curt Washburn said, “probably the nicest field I’ve ever played on.” The Kansas Post 539 Junior American Legion pitcher took advantage of such a chance throwing a two-hitter in a 12-1 baseball win over Shelby-Moultrie Post 68 in Monday’s opener of Mattoon’s Junior American Legion Firecracker Classic. This wasn’t as if Washburn did anything out of the ordinary in the start of this new tournament giving Junior legion players the chance to play in their own division of the annual highly regarded Firecracker Classic. “This was pretty typical,” Post 539 coach Kris Phipps said. “He has been solid for us all year.”... [read full story]