Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Asheville, NC (WNN) - A devastating hurricane and an American Legion baseball team are rarely mentioned in the same conversation. When one talks about Western North Carolina, that connection has now occurred. During September 24 – 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene ran amok from Florida through Virginia. One of the hardest hit areas was the mountainous region of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Much of the damage was caused by torrential rains, and total storm deaths exceeded 250 in the affected areas of the Southeast, 47 of those in Buncombe County. American Legion Post 70 in Asheville has played an integral role in Western North Carolina’s recovery from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The Post has made multiple loads of disaster relief supplies and worked closely with Core Response, an international NGO rebuilding a neighborhood in Swannanoa, NC.
WNC Strong is a grassroots effort and slogan forged through the calamity and ensuing bonding of real people helping real people to embody resilience, compassion, and the belief that we are stronger together. Shared humanity has been the focal point from the beginning. The disaster took many lives, homes, and disrupted businesses and everyday life for thousands in Western North Carolina. The phrase, WNC Strong, was seen played out through countless organizations, volunteers, and neighbors coming together to do whatever they could to help rebuild. The one thing that each person could offer, no matter what their skill level was hope. Supplies and physical labor are important and always needed; however, hope is essential. Take away hope, and all else is lost. Hope, whether through the form of faith or tangible help, is the driving force behind strength and resilience. A person might lose all their material possessions; however, if there is the slightest sliver of hope for a future, then there is enough to believe in to keep going. Recovering from disaster is a long process, and it requires baby steps. These steps are paved with resilience and hope. Encouragement is also needed to keep moving forward, and often this comes in the form of a rallying point. A common bond that can offer a reminder of a brighter future and, in many ways, act as a parallel. Through an incredible turn of events and a sense of perfect timing, Western North Carolina has that parallelism in the form of a youth athletic team.
The Asheville Post 70 American Legion baseball team, the Cardinals, has been experiencing an incredible season. They are on a run that some players never get to experience at any level. Asheville stormed through the Area IV season with only 2 losses, one was on the field and the other a forfeit of a rain-suspended game, which they were leading; however, it didn’t make logistical sense to travel round-trip 4 hours to finish the game. The Area IV playoffs were next, and they swept all opponents on their way to an Area IV title and their first state playoffs appearance since 1929. Almost a century ago, they were NC’s first state runners-up in 1928 and the second NC State Champions in 1929. They will play this week in the Southeast Regional tournament that will send the winner to the American Legion World Series, beginning August 14. Due to a decrease in legion baseball teams, Asheville drew players from many different schools in Western NC. In essence, Post 70 is a Western NC team, not just Asheville. People are drawn to winners, and the Post 70 Cardinals have been on a tear this season. Currently, their record is 29-3. The team has become a rallying point and a symbol of hope for people in the region. A great example of how the team and the region mirror each other’s journey took place last Tuesday during the NC State American Legion Tournament in Cherryville, NC. The Cardinals lost their first game of the tournament to Garner Post 232; how would they handle losing?
Their performance during the week had earned them an automatic berth in the championship game; however, it would now be a winner-takes-all one-game. Trailing 6-1heading into the bottom of the sixth inning and never having led at any point in the game, it looked bleak. An incredible season seemed to be on the brink of ending. These young men were not willing to go down without a fight. Caden Davidson began the inning with a single, Mica Simpson walked, but was thrown out when Carson Wallace hit into a fielder’s choice. Pinch hitter Luke Nesbitt singled, followed by base hits from Regan Smith and Hayes Hillier. Jordan Brown walked, Kolt Nelson was hit by a pitch, Evan Conner, Caden Davidson, and Mica Simpson all walked. Carson Wallace singled, Luke Nesbitt sacrificed, and after Regan Smith was hit by a pitch, Hayes Hillier reached on an error. By the time the dust had settled, Asheville had scored 11 runs and taken a 12-6 lead. Garner, shell-shocked, could not muster a comeback, and the game concluded. The team has just demonstrated that you can never give up, even when it appears all hope is lost. As things are beginning to recover, somewhat in the region, people have been able to take note of the team and the example they have demonstrated. Success has shown the team can be successful again and gives hope that the area can rebound from disaster.
During the state championship post-game interview, Wise News Network reporter Mason Beam talked with Caden Davidson and Mica Simpson. Mica Simpson reflected about rebounding from that first tournament loss, “Clear our minds, nothing we could do after we lost. We had to respond and come together as a group, and we did.” Both players were asked what advice they would give to younger players. Caden Davidson advised, “Build friendships, get out there on the field, and don’t worry about ups and downs because they’re going to happen. Just stay through it and just continue to have fun.” Mica Simpson added, “Baseball is a team sport. I would say to the guys, brothers on the field, play for something, play for a faith, play for a program, it’s a great way to do that.” Their quotes were in response to questions connected to baseball, yet read their words again. Think of how their statements are also applicable to an area recovering from a recent natural disaster. Paraphrasing, bad things are going to happen, and there are ups and downs. Once they happen, you cannot change that; however, your response is completely up to you. Sometimes you will have to respond by coming together as a group.
The post-70s baseball team’s mascot is the Cardinals. It is easy to just dismiss that because North Carolina’s state bird is the cardinal, or that Cardinals are also an MLB team, and many legion teams choose MLB team mascots. Either of those might be valid reasons; however, when we take a closer look at the symbolism of a cardinal, it is apparent that they could not have chosen a better representation. The first thing one notices about the male cardinal is its bright red plumage. The male’s bright red color is associated with life force and the promise of a new beginning. It is also a symbol of love, vitality, and good luck. The cardinal also represents strength and endurance. They are known for sticking to their territory year-round, even through harsh weather, revealing their resilience and strength. Native American folklore suggests the bird is a symbol of a powerful force from the spirit world that is derived from resilience, coping, confidence, and motivation. They see them as messengers from the spirit world that offer guidance and protection.
Although none of these events were intentional to mirror one another, they have come together at a much-needed time to offer hope and promise. This is a good reminder of how we can find hope together, many times in unexpected ways. Sometimes it is the sight of a beautiful red bird, other times it might be a successful baseball team, other times it could be strength drawn from strangers and neighbors coming together to help those in need.
Click here to see the tournament photo gallery!
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