Ray Lawton discovered the zone

It was 1964, I think, and I played for Barstone Fuel, North Central’s sponsor for Legion ball then. We played the majority of our games at Underhill Park in those days. Dirt infield, no outfield fence, but great lights – it was the place to be if you wanted to play American Legion baseball.

My American Legion baseball experiences were fun, instructive and created a love for baseball that has never gone away.

At best I was a mediocre pitcher in high school and college. But, for some people there always seems to be one day when the stars align themselves, and I got to have my one day.

For this one game the ball curved like never before (and mostly never again). I could put the ball where I wanted to most of the time. I had heard of being in a zone before, but had never really experienced it. That game I was in the zone for most of the time. Our team got lots of hits, scored runs, made plays in the field and made it all look pretty easy.

Oh, yes, remember there was no outfield fence. Luckily for me, Connie Burnett, our left fielder, understood my real pitching abilities. The other team’s best hitter hit a ball in the fifth inning that would have gone out of any other park in which we played games. But Connie was playing just short of the light standards, and moved back between the light poles and made a routine catch of a 320-foot fly ball.

I got my no-hitter, my coach Vern Blair had my teammates sign a new baseball to commemorate the day and the accomplishment. I still have that baseball.

American Legion baseball was a great experience for me. So much so, in fact, I came back and coached a team when I returned to Spokane.