Legion hit man

ELIDA - Matt Jordan Hampshire was 2 years old when his aunt gave him a plastic bat and ball for a gift. From that time on, the youngster and his dad, also Matthew, spent plenty of time in the backyard, swinging the bat and hitting the ball.

The younger Hampshire used to smile from ear to ear when his bat made contact with the ball. As he progressed, he began hitting the ball over the shed, another marker along his path.

He played tee-ball, yet never wanted to hit off the tee, always insisting his dad pitch. He played little league. And he continued moving up the scale.

"It just gave him a lot of joy," the elder Hampshire said. "And we just continued that."

Now, Hampshire is the hard-swinging Elida graduate and Lima American Legion Post 96 first baseman. What started out with a whiffle ball and plastic bat turned into home runs and a chance to play at Ohio Northern University.

"I started from a young age and continued to work," Hampshire said. "My dad basically guided me through everything and helped me along the way."

Hampshire is a regular first baseman, but has also seen time in right field this summer for Post 96. What jumps out about Hampshire is the power he displays at the plate.

When he steps in the box, a noticeable buzz spreads through the crowd. Hampshire more often than not delivers.

"When it comes to hitting, it's all in the hips. It's all in getting around, creating bat speed," Hampshire said. "Everything now is one smooth, solid motion."

While he also credits his coaches, it's clear the younger Hampshire knows the importance of his father's guidance. The two began working on the swing in little league and continue the work today.

"We got him to count with his swing. We call it, ‘One, Two, Three,'" the father said. "One is the step. Two is lift the back heel. And three was the swing with the hip and bring the bat around.

"I can look at him today when he's not swinging right and holler out there, ‘Hey, Matt, One, Two, Three.' And he'll know exactly what I'm talking about."

During his senior year at Elida, Hampshire belted nine home runs while posting a batting average well above .500. In an exhibition game between the Legion and the Lima Locos earlier this month, he crushed a pitch over the left field wall.

Hampshire has been struggling so far through Legion ball. At one point, he approached coach Dave Koverman about sitting out a bit, but the veteran coach laughed it off.

"Why would I want to sit my best hitter? He's in the three spot, and his reputation still forces people to pitch around him," Koverman said.

Hampshire's senior season at Elida got off to a rocky start. He was suspended for part of the beginning of the baseball season for disciplinary reasons. It was a tough lesson to learn for Hampshire as Elida had its worst Western Buckeye League finish in nearly two decades. He admitted the suspension was the biggest hurdle to overcome in high school.

"It was just hard sitting on the sidelines, watching," Hampshire said. "You want to go help them out. You want to do this, do that. But you can't."

Hampshire steps into a situation at Northern much like his last year in high school. The Polar Bears are 153-229-1 in the nine years since their last winning season and haven't won an Ohio Athletic Conference crown since 1983, well before Hampshire starting taking cuts in his backyard.

"I know the last couple of seasons Northern hasn't been too great, but everyone has a rebuilding time," Hampshire said. "I think within the next two or three years, Northern could have a winning season, win their conference and make it to the Division III college world series."