Lucky jerseys smell like success to Montana’s American Legion World Series participant

The sport of baseball has always lent itself to superstitions by players and coaches.

This week, as the American Legion World Series returns to Shelby, one team credits a superstition for helping it win five straight games to advance to its first-ever ALWS.

The superstition?

Simply wearing the same, unwashed baseball jerseys for five straight games, all victories, as the Billings Scarlets (Mont.) Post 4 team advanced to its first ALWS — and the first ALWS for a Montana team in 62 years.

The superstition began after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Fort Collins (Colo.) on the opening day of the Northwest Regional Billings hosted.

“We just told the kids to keep with it, keep working hard and keep believing in the process,” said Billings coach Adam Hust, a former Scarlets player from 1991 to 1993 who has spent 21 years coaching in the program, including as head coach since 2007. “We just stayed as positive as we could and maintained a lot of energy. And we came out and hit the ball a little bit better and got a win.

“We ended up after winning the first game and decided we’d wear the same dirty uniforms for the rest of the tournament. So our dugout did not smell good by the end of the game (on Sunday) but it was worth it.”

Billings and Hust, who made the regional tournament only because they were the host team, had lost two of its last three state tournament games. But once the Scarlets got hot, they found ways to win over and over again, including a doubleheader sweep of previously unbeaten Eugene (Ore.) 5-4 in 9 innings and 7-0 in Sunday’s final day.

“We’ve been close a couple of times but it’s been 62 years since a Montana team has been in the World Series,” Hust said. “To be a part of the first Montana team to do in that long is just amazing.

“It’s just a good group of fine young men who have been playing great baseball. I’m excited for our community to be a part of it and for our post and everyone that’s involved. It’s a pretty special time to be involved with it.”

The Scarlets, who begin the American Legion World Series on Thursday, weren’t the only ones celebrating at the Dehler Park they call home.

The Billings Royals made the ALWS in 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1962, highlighted by a 1960 runner-up finish. Since then, Montana teams had finished as regional runner-up nine times; the Royals were runner-up in 1963, 1964, 1970 and 1971, Missoula in 1994 and 2017, the Scarlets in 2011, Bozeman in 2019 and Helena in 2021.

“We really didn’t address that history all that much,” Hust said. “We just talked about being great and doing something legendary and being a part of something that’s never been done.

“But when we won it, there’s been a lot of former players from all over the community enjoying it with us and Eddie Bayne’s sons were at the game, and they're 77 (Jack) and 81 years old (Eddie Jr.) now.

“We got to have a conversation with them on the concourse after the game and hear how proud they were. I was happy to know they got to be a part of it in their dad’s memory.”

Ed Bayne Sr. coached Billings Royals teams from 1948 to 1973 to 20 state titles, including 14 straight from 1954 to 1967 and each of the state’s previous ALWS appearances. Among the stars of those teams were three future major leaguers in Dave McNally (1958, 1959 and 1960 teams), Les Rohr (1963 and 1964 teams) and Joe McIntosh (1968 and 1969 teams). Ed Bayne Sr. died in 2003 at 86 years old.

The Scarlets were led to the 2024 regional title by MVP Nate McDonald and pitchers Drew McDowell (no-hitter in 8-0 Thursday win over Pocatello (Idaho) Post 4) and Jakob Wilcox (winning pitcher with 5 2/3 innings in championship game over Eugene).

“What an amazing experience this has been so far and we’ve not even played in the World Series yet,” Hust said.

Billings Scarlets' pool play schedule (all times ET):

Aug. 15: vs. Wilmington Delvets (Del.) Post 1, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 17: vs. Bossier City (La.) Post 202, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 18: vs. Midland (Mich.) Post 165, 1 p.m.