The Junior Sunbelt Classic will honor one of its founding fathers in June when former New Hope High School baseball coach Stacy Hester is inducted to the National Sunbelt Classic Hall of Fame.
Hester, who won 551 games in 18 years at New Hope, helped organize a team from Mississippi 15 years to be involved in the inaugural Junior Sunbelt Classic, which is held each year in McAlester, Okla. The event features teams from states across the country made up of rising seniors. It is recognized as one of the nation”s premier showcase events.
“I don”t think any of us knew it was going to last this long,” said Hester, who met Senior Sunbelt Classic organizer John Schwartz at a baseball coaches clinic years ago and discussed the possibility of helping start a junior version of the event. “It started with five states and we built it to six and to eight and then 10. There are about six to eight states on a waiting list. It is a big honor to get this recognition. I am excited about it.”
Hester, who won state titles in 1996, ”98, and 2003 and six North Half state titles, learned last fall of the honor. He takes pride in the fact the Junior Sunbelt Classic has given hundreds of players from the state a chance to showcase their skills against some of the nation”s best players. As a result, many players have earned opportunities for college scholarships.
Schwartz said 191 players who have played in the 37 years of the Senior Sunbelt Classic have gone on to play in the major leagues.
Schwartz has served as chairman or director of the series since it began. He said Hester will be one of several people honored in June. In all, he said 26 or 27 coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Schwartz said inductees are selected based on their dedication, integrity, and leadership. He said inductees must have been involved with the series for at least 10 years.
“He is a good man,” Schwartz said of Hester. “We wanted to recognize coaches that had those qualities and stood by them, and Stacy is one of them. He has stood by what he believed in.”
Caledonia High coach John Wilson and Columbus coach Jeffrey Cook will join Hester with the Mississippi team this year. The team will have a workout at 4 p.m. June 8 at Mississippi State”s Dudy Noble Field before it leaves for Oklahoma. Two teams from Oklahoma will join one team from Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, and Canada at a banquet June 9. The round-robin tournament will run June 10-15.
Former New Hope High standout Philip Tice played on the team in 2009. Hamilton High senior Chase Reeves played on the team last season. The roster for this year”s team is still being finalized.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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