TOGUS – The State American Legion Baseball Tournament will remain at Togus and Augusta’s McGuire Field permanently, according to State AL Baseball Director Lionel Koss.

Koss said the state’s AL delegates voted this past June to make Togus-McGuire the permanent site for the tournament.

“It’s now in the bylaws,” said Koss. “It can’t be moved out of here unless some Legionnaires present it to the executive committee and the delegates for a vote. And they aren’t going to move it out of here for a one-year run someplace else.”

The news did not sit well with some of the coaches at the tournament.

Togus’ tiny dimensions have been the major problem as balls that are routine fly balls in other ballparks carry out of Togus.

“It should definitely be moved to other places,” said Gardiner Coach John Coughlin. “The winner of this tournament is at a distinct disadvantage when it goes to the Northeast Regionals because of it. It takes time to get over playing at Togus. It’s like playing at Fenway Park.”

“I’ve already noticed some of our kids changing their swings,” said Nova Seafood of Portland Coach Jim McCartney. “They’re uppercutting the ball, trying to hit it out of here. They hit a lot better during the regular season. If we get to the regionals, they’ll have to readjust their swings all over and there won’t be a lot of time for them to readjust it. It’s tough to readjust your swing after playing five or six games here.”

The coaches also mentioned that Togus and McGuire don’t have lights and they don’t get much chance to play regular season games under the lights. So they are at a distinct disadvantage if they play under the lights at the Northeast Regionals.

Night games are scheduled at the regionals.

McCartney and Old Town-Orono Coach Dave Paul said they enjoyed Togus when they were players, but they agreed with Cumberland Coach Bobby Anthoine that it would be nice to have the tournament at better fields with more reasonable dimensions like Portland’s Hadlock Field, Orono’s Mahaney Diamond, and the new Mansfield Complex field in Bangor. All three have lights.

“If facilities like those are available and they can work out the details (to hold the state tourney there), we should use them,” said Paul. “You’d be cheating the kids if you didn’t.”

Dave Mansfield, a member of the committee that is looking into promoting and scheduling activities at the Mansfield Complex, said his group would definitely be interested in hosting the State American Legion Tournament.

“Our two priorities are giving the local kids a place to play and to have a facility we can use for special events to promote baseball and the area,” said Mansfield.

Baseballs and field maintenance are provided for at the State Tournament at Togus and because it is centrally located, most teams commute, which cuts down the expenses.

If the tourney is held in Portland or Bangor, some teams would have to be housed.

McCartney said Togus would be more appealing if the field’s dimensions were “expanded to open it up.”

But there are no plans in the works.