Photo Provided PLAYERS FROM the St. Clairsville American Legion Post 159 baseball team have been honoring veterans in Belmont County for the past 5-plus years by placing American flags on their graves. Pictured from left are, Dakota Hess, Mason VanNest, Drake Dobson, Will Balgo, Jake Probst and Colby Shriver, who spent some time recently placing flags at Belmont Memorial Park.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Memorial Day is all about remembering those that gave their lives so that we can have our freedom.

Even though St. Clairsville Post 159 won’t be playing American Legion baseball this summer due to the lasting concerns surrounding the global COVID-19 pandemic, members of the would-be Post 159 team spent the some time recently placing flags at the final resting spots of Belmont County veterans at Belmont Memorial Park on County Road 214 at the top of Blaine Hill.

“For the past five-plus years the team and coaches have carried on this tradition,” St. Clairsville manager Mike Muklewicz said. “While we may be piecing together an unofficial season, we will always officially support the veterans of Post 159 and beyond (on) Memorial Day. I have always felt this is an important thing to do with the kids and I hope seeing me right out there with them placing these flags sets the right example for how much we should appreciate the sacrifice of our veterans.

“These are the guys that American Legion Baseball represents and it adds a special element to a game we all love.”

In addition to Muklewicz, the players participating were Dakota Hess, Mason VanNest, Drake Dobson, Will Balgo, Jake Probst and Colby Shriver.

“I made a joke to the kids while we were there about the biggest things they have to worry about right now is being stuck in the house or Xbox Live going down,” he joked. “These guys (the veterans) were being put on planes and boats to go engage in combat. It really puts things in perspective when you think about it that way. Everything we enjoy has been fought for and protected by these guys — this is our way of thanking them on Memorial Day each year.”