(Riverton, WY) – Riverton’s own Cody Beers was inducted into the Wyoming Legion Baseball Hall of Fame July 28th at Powers Field in Cheyenne.
Beers, who has been involved with Wyoming baseball to some degree since he was a child, last played the role of State Commissioner for Wyoming Legion baseball during COVID, when Wyoming was one of six states to pay a full regular season and had one positive COVID test.
Growing up in Cody, Beers played his last year of high school ball for the Cody Cubs and then transitioned to umpiring after a knee injury sidelined him at 18. He continued umpiring around the state on and off for 30 years.
“I ended up umpiring a lot when I needed spending money,” said Beers, who would end up refereeing in the Western Regional tournament in San Bernardino, California, and also at the Cooperstown Green Park Tournament during his career.
Jack Simms, his Cody coach, quickly became a mentor to Beers as he got more and more involved with baseball. “He told me, ‘You know you’ve got a lot of experience with baseball, why don’t you join the state board?’” said Beers. “Jack was a scary son of a buck to play for, but he demanded respect… It’s because of him that I’m in the Hall of Fame, with him.”
After moving to Riverton in 2001, Beers became involved in coaching when his sons were of age. He was assistant coach and became head coach for one year for the Raiders while his sons played. Both of Beers’ sons, Brady and Baylor, were all-state baseball players in Wyoming Legion Baseball for the Riverton Raiders.
“We spent a lot of significant memories at the baseball field as a family,” said Beers. “My wife’s birthday, our anniversary, our kids’ birthdays were all celebrated at baseball fields throughout the years… I’ve got an extremely understanding wife, Robyn, who has been so patient with my baseball.”
Beers was inducted with two long-time friends in the Wyoming baseball world, Phil Maggard and Ty Lain. Maggard, who was a rival ball player out of Powell, when Beers was in Cody, and Lain, a coach who Beers said “represents what it takes to win at the state and national level.”
These days, Beers enjoys going to the Junior World Series in Grand Junction and calling the Wyoming state baseball broadcast for Evanston Radio.
“I’ve been involved with baseball for 75% of my life,” said Beers. “And I’ve always enjoyed the people, even the difficult ones… But I’ve been involved with baseball for the kids. It’s always been about the kids.”