Legion players

The Bonesteel brothers, identical twins Andrew and Patrick, just want a chance to play ball.

The University High seniors-to-be grew up playing hockey and helping their bantam team reach the national tournament before hanging up their skates.

“We both loved hockey,” Andrew said. “But it got to a point where everyone else kept growing and we didn’t.”

The twins topped out at 5-foot-7, and the prospect of trading hip checks with players five inches and 50 pounds bigger became painful to ponder.

So they turned to another love: baseball.

But there’s a problem with baseball. In hockey, five players and a goalie are on the ice at one time, except those times when one or two players are in the penalty box. Five skaters go all out for about a minute, then take a breather while another shift takes the ice. On most teams, the only player who might not make it into the game is the back-up goalkeeper.

Baseball starts nine players plus a designated hitter. If a player comes out of the game, he’s out for good. If you don’t start, you might not play – the situation in which the Bonesteel brothers found themselves.

“We both turned out for baseball at U-Hi,” Patrick said. “My sophomore year I was out the whole year, but I only got the chance to play in one game. It’s tough to come out and just sit on the bench the whole year.”

Andrew had the same experience as a freshman, turning to track briefly as a sprinter his sophomore year. He may try track again as a senior, he said. Patrick said he’s thinking seriously about turning out for baseball his senior year.

The American Legion program in the area was full, so it looked to the brothers as if they weren’t going to have a chance to actually play baseball anywhere.

“One of my best friends, Sean McFarlane, is at East Valley and his (AA) Legion team needed players last year,” Patrick said. “They invited us to come over and play for them.”

“They gave us the chance to play and the guys really accepted us right away,” Andrew added. “It was a lot of fun. This year, they still needed players so they gave us a call and we’ve played the whole season with them.”

Actually, saying the brothers played is putting it mildly.

“They’re two of my best hitters,” coach John Sutherland said. “Andrew has been my leadoff hitter and has been my best hitter all season. Patrick has been our clean-up hitter. Andrew is one of our best pitchers and our shortstop. Patrick has been an outfielder for us and he pitched his first game for us the other day. I’m kicking myself for not having him pitch earlier because he did a really good job.”

Not only that, the coach said, despite the fact that neither had played an inning of baseball before joining the legion team, both have been top-notch contributors since day one.

“My brother and I did a lot of throwing in the backyard and we’d get our friends together and go play ball in the park,” Andrew said. “But I think we were both just really excited to finally get a chance to play.”

As the team’s lead-off hitter, Andrew revels in making things happen on the basepaths.

“I don’t know how he does it, but he always seems to get himself on base – especially to start a game,” Patrick said.

Once on base, he’s a threat to steal – something he’s done some two dozen times this summer.

“I’m not sure how good of a sprinter I could be,” Andrew said. “But baseball speed is different from track speed. I love to get on-base and make things happen.”

Not a stereotypical clean-up hitter, Patrick said he relishes stepping into the batter’s box with runners in scoring position.

“I’m the kind of player who will hit wherever the coach wants me to hit,” he said. “I’m not a power hitter, but I love hitting with runners on-base. That’s why you play the game.”

There are dangers to that situation, however.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “If my brother is on third base and I don’t bring him in, I know I’m going to hear about it. He’s going to yell at me.”

Pitching for the first time in a game was an interesting experience, Patrick said.

“It felt pretty strange to be out there on the mound,” he said. “That’s my brother’s thing – pitching. I’d much rather be in the outfield. But I struck out the first guy I faced and I got to thinking ‘You know, this pitching stuff is okay. Maybe I can do this.’ I got through the first inning just fine.

“The second inning, the first guy I faced belted a triple off me. When you only have one pitch, it doesn’t take them very long to get your timing down.”

Both brothers are hopeful they can find another opportunity to play again.

The American Legion season ended this week. And while both have a year of eligibility remaining, they understand that there are few guarantees of another spot.

“If this was our last chance, I know we’re both thankful,” Andrew said. “We just love to play the game.”