7-3-22 roundup: Pro football, baseball and soccer, Legion baseball, Auto racing, College football, high school football

By Richard Walker

As we celebrate the 246th birthday of the United States of America on Monday’s Independence Day, perhaps no area athletic stadium can be used as an example of local efforts to support the country, our state’s long military connection and athletics than Charlotte’s Legion Memorial Stadium.

The venue, which opened officially in 1936, was built during the Great Depression as part of U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Works Progress Administration” (WPA) that helped build many local athletic structures.

And the facility has undergone recent major renovations and is currently hosting professional soccer and lacrosse and will soon host a schedule of high school football games for which the stadium has long been known.

Roosevelt attended the official opening ceremonies for the facility on Sept. 10, 1936.

Fifteen days later, the first football game of many was played at the stadium when Barium Springs edged host Charlotte Central 12-6.

Central High and many other Charlotte high schools regularly used the facility as a home field. And on Nov. 13, 1942, old Gastonia High recorded one of its biggest victories in local history at Memorial Stadium when it won 35-6 over Charlotte’s old Central High. Not only was it the Green Wave’s first-ever win against its Western Conference rival, but it also helped Gastonia win its first-ever league title that season.

This season, a doubleheader of games – Dutch Fork, S.C., against Huntersville Hough and Charlotte’s Mallard Creek against Myers Park – will begin another season of games at the facility on Aug. 18.

However, beginning in 1937, the venue began hosting the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas high school football All-Star game that was the city’s biggest athletic event before the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and NFL’s Carolina Panthers came to town in 1988 and 1996, respectively.

The Shrine Bowl pitted top players from North Carolina against top players from South Carolina and was an annual sellout before the event moved to Rock Hill, S.C., for the 2001 game.

Among the future stars who played in the Shrine Bowl at Memorial Stadium were Asheville’s Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, Wilmington’s Sonny Jurgensen, High Point’s Ted Brown, Concord’s Natrone Means, Wilmington’s Trot Nixon and Southern Nash’s Julius Peppers for the North Carolina team that was nicknamed “Tarheels” and Anderson’s Jim Rice, Sumter’s Freddie Solomon, Spartanburg’s Wayne Tolleson, Aiken’s William “The Refrigerator” Perry, Woodruff’s Tony Rice, Spartanburg’s Stephen Davis and Hillcrest’s Travelle Wharton for the South Carolina team that was nicknamed “Sandlappers.”

Locally, Shelby’s Boyd Allen was Cleveland County’s first player in 1941, Jack Cobb of old Belmont was Gaston County’s first player in 1939 and Lincolnton’s Paul Gabriel was Lincoln County’s first player in 1941. Porter Sheppard of old Gastonia High in 1943 was the area’s first assistant coach and Everette “Shu” Carlton of old Gastonia Ashley High in 1964 was the area’s first head coach.

College football games had been held as early as 1894 at Latta Park, but when Memorial Stadium opened, it hosted several regional rivalries in addition to becoming the home venue for many Davidson and Johnson C. Smith football games.

North Carolina edged Wake Forest 14-7 on the Sept. 26, 1936 in the first collegiate game at Memorial Stadium and the South Carolina-Wake Forest and Clemson-N.C. State rivalries were frequently played at the venue in the 1940s.

Additionally, professional wrestling, an old World Football League franchise (Charlotte Hornets) and the popular “Battle of the Bands” between the biggest historically black colleges and universities the Carolinas and Georgia have competed in the stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

Legion baseball

Gaston Braves at Hickory: The second game of the best-of-five series was postponed by rain until Monday at 7 p.m. at Hickory’s Legion Fairgrounds; The Braves won 11-4 in Saturday’s opener in Belmont.

Burke County 6, Gastonia 5: Jesse Osborne (2 hits, 1 RBI), Tripp Dow (2 hits, 1 RBI) and Josh Lemley (2 hits, 1 RBI) led Gastonia, which is tied with Burke County at one game apiece entering Monday’s 7 p.m. Game 3 at Sims Legion Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Junior Legion baseball

Here’s the Area IV playoffs schedule:

July 5-8 quarterfinals (best-of-3)
No. 1 East: Burns vs. No. 4 West: South Caldwell-2
Game 1 – July 5 at B
Game 2 – July 6 at SC-2
Game 3 (if necessary) – July 7 at B

No. 2 West: R-S Central vs. No. 3 East: Cherryville
Game 1 – July 5 at R-S
Game 2 – July 6 at C
Game 3 (if necessary) – July 7 at R-S

No. 1 West: South Caldwell-1 vs. No. 4 East: Shelby
Game 1 – July 5 at SC-1
Game 2 – July 6 at Shelby
Game 3 (if necessary) – July 7 at SC-1

No. 2 East: Matthews vs. No. 3 West: Chase
Game 1 – July 5 at M
Game 2 – July 6 at C
Game 3 (if necessary) – July 7 at M

July 9-12 Area IV semifinals (best-of-3)

July 14 Area IV final (1 game)

Both finalists advance to N.C. State tournament at High Point (July 19-24)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro baseball

The Gastonia Honey Hunters improved to 3-0 in the month of July with a 10-5 victory at the Lexington, Ky., Legends on Sunday.

Gastonia (44-20) has already clinched the South Division first half title in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

The full Gastonia Honey Hunters’ 2022 schedule (Games times 6:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 4:15 on Sunday):

April (8-1)
21 Lancaster, Pa. (L 2-5)
22 Lancaster, Pa. (W 4-3)
23 Lancaster, Pa. (W 8-1)
24 Lancaster, Pa. (W 13-4)
26 Wild Health, Ky. (W 12-1)
27 Wild Health, Ky. (W 17-4)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 6-4)
29 Staten Island (W 5-4)
30 Staten Island (W 6-5)

May (16-10)
1 Staten Island (W 10-5)
3 at York, Pa. (W 3-1)
4 at York, Pa. (L 4-5 in 10)
5 at York, Pa. (W 12-7)
6 at Staten Island (ppd.)
7 at Staten Island (ppd.)
8 at Staten Island (W 4-1)
8 at Staten Island (W 7-2)
10 at So. Maryland (W 2-0)
11 at So. Maryland (L 0-4)
12 at So. Maryland (L 2-4)
13 at Staten Island (ppd.)
14 at Staten Island (ppd.)
15 at Staten Island (L 1-2)
15 at Staten Island (W 1-0)
16 at Staten Island (W 8-3)
17 So. Maryland (L 4-5)
18 So. Maryland (L 6-8)
19 So. Maryland (W 13-1)
20 Charleston, W.Va.(W 12-10)
21 Charleston, W.Va.(W 6-4)
22 Charleston, W.Va.(L 1-8)
24 at Lancaster, Pa.(W 2-1)
25 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 3-13)
26 at Lancaster, Pa.(L 1-4)
27 at Long Island (W 5-3)
28 at Long Island (W 10-3)
29 at Long Island (W 3-2)
30 at Long Island (W 5-2)
31 Long Island (L 7-8)

June (17-9)
1 Long Island (L 9-10 in 11)
2 Long Island (L 0-5)
3 at High Point (W 5-4)
4 at High Point (W 8-3)
5 at High Point (W 8-3)
7 at Charleston,W.Va.(L 5-7)
8 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 6-0)
9 at Charleston,W.Va.(W 3-2)
10 High Point (W 7-6)
11 High Point (W 6-4)
12 High Point (W 9-5)
14 Charleston, W.Va. (L 4-6)
15 Charleston, W.Va. (W 14-7)
16 Charleston, W.Va. (W 2-0)
17 at Lexington, Ky. (W 6-1)
18 at Lexington, Ky. (L 2-3 in 10)
19 at Lexington, Ky. (W 4-0 in 11)
21 Charleston, W.Va. (W 8-7)
22 Charleston, W.Va. (L 1-4)
23 Charleston, W.Va. (W 5-4)
24 at So. Maryland (ppd.)
25 at So. Maryland (W 6-3)
25 at So. Maryland (W 3-0)
26 at So. Maryland (L 7-9)
28 Wild Health, Ky. (W 4-0)
29 Wild Health, Ky. (L 2-10)
30 Wild Health, Ky. (L 6-7)

July (3-0)
1 at Lexington, Ky. (W 12-11)
2 at Lexington, Ky. (W 10-6)
3 at Lexington, Ky. (W 10-5)
4 High Point
–end of 1st half of season
5 High Point
6 at High Point
7 at High Point
8 High Point
9 High Point
10 High Point
12 at Wild Health, Ky.
13 at Wild Health, Ky.
14 at Wild Health, Ky.
15 Lexington, Ky.
16 Lexington, Ky.
17 Lexington, Ky.
19 at York, Pa.
20 at York, Pa.
21 at York, Pa.
22 at High Point
23 at High Point
24 at High Point-
26 Lexington, Ky.
27 Lexington, Ky.
28 Lexington, Ky.
29 York, Pa.
30 York, Pa.
31 York, Pa.

August
2 at Lexington, Ky.
3 at Lexington, Ky.
4 at Lexington, Ky.
5 High Point
6 High Point
7 High Point
9 Staten Island
10 Staten Island
11 Staten Island
12 at High Point
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
16 So. Maryland
17 So. Maryland
18 So. Maryland
19 High Point
20 High Point
21 High Point
23 at Charleston,W.Va.
24 at Charleston,W.Va.
25 at Charleston,W.Va.
26 at High Point
27 at High Point
28 at High Point
30 High Point
31 High Point

September
1 High Point
2 Wild Health, Ky.
3 Wild Health, Ky.
4 Wild Health, Ky.
6 at Wild Health, Ky.
7 at Wild Health, Ky.
8 at Wild Health, Ky.
9 Lexington, Ky.
10 Lexington, Ky.
11 Lexington, Ky.
13 at High Point
14 at High Point
15 at High Point
16 at Charleston,W.Va.
17 at Charleston,W.Va.
18 at Charleston,W.Va.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pro soccer

Charlotte FC set history on Sunday with the franchise’s first road victory – 2-1 at Houston

Charlotte FC is now 1-7-2 in road matches in their inaugural MLS season.

Here’s the full Charlotte FC MLS schedule for the 2022 season (with results):

(7-10-2 record)
Feb. 26 at D.C. (L 0-3)
March 5, L.A. (L 0-1)
March 13, at Atlanta (L 1-2)
March 19, New England (W 3-1)
March 26, Cincinnati (W 2-0)
April 2, at Philadelphia (L 0-2)
April 10, Atlanta (W 1-0)
April 16, at New England (L 1-2)
April 23, at Colorado (T 0-0)
April 30, at Orlando (L 1-2)
May 7, Miami (W 1-0)
May 14, Montreal (L 0-2)
May 22, Vancouver (W 2-1)
May 29, at Seattle (L 1-2)
June 11, New York (W 2-0)
June 18, at Columbus (T 1-1)
June 25, at Montreal (L 1-2)
June 30, Austin (L 0-1)
July 3, at Houston (W 2-1)
July 9, Nashville, 7 p.m.
July 16, at Miami, 8 p.m.
July 23, at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
July 30, Columbus, 7 p.m.
August 3, D.C., 7 p.m.
August 6, Chicago, 7 p.m.
August 13, at LAFC, 10:30 p.m.
August 17, at New York City, TBD
August 21, Orlando, 7 p.m.
August 27, Toronto, 7 p.m.
September 3, at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
September 10, New York City, 7 p.m.
September 17, at Chicago, 8 p.m.
October 1, Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
October 9, at New York, TBD

 

 

 

 

 

Auto racing

The 2022 NASCAR cup schedule (with winners):

Feb. 6 Busch Light Clash (Joey Logano)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 (Brad Keselowski)
Feb. 17 Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 (Chris Buescher)
Feb. 20 Daytona 500 (Austin Cindric)
Feb. 27 Wise Power 400 (Kyle Larson)
Mar. 6 Pennzoil 400 (Alex Bowman)
Mar. 13 Ruoff Mortgage (Chase Briscoe)
Mar. 20 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 (William Byron)
Mar. 27 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix (Ross Chastain)
Apr. 3 Toyota Owners (Denny Hamlin)
Apr. 9 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 (William Byron-2)
Apr. 17 Food City Dirt Race (Kyle Busch)
Apr. 24 Geico 500 (Ross Chastain-2)
May 2 DuraMAX Drydene 400 (Chase Elliott)
May 8 Goodyear 400 (Joey Logano)
May 15 AdventHealth 400 (Kurt Busch)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star Open (Daniel Suarez)
May 22 NASCAR All-Star (Ryan Blaney)
May 29 Coca-Cola 600 (Denny Hamlin-2)
June 5 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Joey Logano-2)
June 12 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Daniel Suarez)
June 26 Ally 400 (Chase Elliott-2)
July 3 Kwik Trip 250 (Tyler Reddick)
July 10 Quaker State 400
July 17 Ambetter 301
July 24 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono
July 31 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
Aug. 7 FireKeepers Casino 400
Aug. 14 Federated Auto Parts 400
Aug. 21 Go Bowling at The Glen
Aug. 27 Coke Zero Sugar 400
Sept. 4 Cook Out Southern 500
Sept. 11 Hollywood Casino 400
Sept. 17 Bass Pro Shops Night Race
Sept. 24 AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500
Oct. 2 YellaWood 500
Oct. 9 Bank of America ROVAL 400
Oct. 16 South Point 400
Oct. 23 Dixie Vodka 400
Oct. 30 Xfinity 500
Nov. 6 NASCAR Cup Series Championship