Letter: Playoff format not good for the game
Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 26, 2018
- Rowan’s Luke Barringer, third from right, is mobbed by his teammates after belting a walk-off home run, giving the American Legion team an 8-7 win in Game 4 of the Area III championship series at Newman Park. The series concluded with a victory in Asheboro. James Sipes/for the Salisbury Post
I see that our North Carolina American Legion has adopted the playoff format used in the national tournament for the North Carolina State Tournament. The problem with this format is that the champion of the tournament may not have the best record in the tournament. It does not matter that the team loses a game but when the team loses a game.
A few years ago in the national tournament, the champion was South Carolina. The team from New Orleans, Louisiana, had the same record as the South Carolina team when the tournament was concluded. Both teams had defeated the other team in play, but South Carolina won the tournament based on when they defeated Louisiana. Both teams finished the tournament with a 4-1 record, and both teams won and lost to the other team.
I understand why the Legion went to this “Little League” format, but this is not for the good of the game. The champion should always have the best record in the tournament, but with this format, they may not.
— Gordon Correll
Salisbury