Separated by a mere three miles, Badin High School and Hamilton High School feature baseball teams with multiple state titles, Major League Baseball alumni and a combined 15 state tournament appearances since 1983.
The two programs annually rank as two of the top teams in Ohio and each may conclude their regular seasons in front of a herd of green fans from Badin and the blue army from Hamilton. It is the one day a year where the city of Hamilton closes down, with fans invading either Big Blue’s Stang Field or Badin’s Alumni Field for another epic battle that will determine Butler County bragging rights.
As Badin coach Brion Treadway says, “it is simply everything that high school baseball should be about.”
The two teams have played at least once a year since 1983, when former Big Blue coach Danny Bowling got together with former Rams coach Tom Raines and decided the two schools should play every year.
Bowling coached HHS for 28 years and little did he know the game would transform into the event it is today.
“I got a lot of flack from football and basketball for scheduling Badin, but I figured we owed it to the city to play each year,” Bowling said. “Football and basketball didn’t want to play Badin, but we won and I didn’t get fired so we kept playing. Early on it was one-sided as we won every year but that all changed when Badin brought in Mark Maus. The game became a different game when (Maus) took over.”
Maus was hired by Badin in 1990 and quickly ended a six game Hamilton win streak in the series, snaring the first ever win over Big Blue by a Badin squad. Maus’ 11 year run began a decade of dominance by the Butler County schools. The two squads went to the state tournament six times in the 90’s, with the Rams claiming titles in 1991 and 1996 and Hamilton snagging the championship trophy in 1997.
For me, that game is what high school baseball is all about. Personally, it was huge just to be part of it. – Mark Maus
“Well we made it much more competitive,” Maus said. “Hamilton had great players, a great program and I personally patterned what I did after them. I liked the way they did things and formed the Badin team with some of the same principles. That game always featured huge crowds, was played under the lights, and that was an atmosphere we only saw once a year. For me, that game is what high school baseball is all about. Personally, it was huge just to be part of it.”
Both Hamilton coach Joey Lewis and Treadway played in the game and between the two, feature 40 years of coaching experience in the game. The two managers, who both won state titles while playing for their respective schools, agree it is the perfect way to conclude the regular season and enter the High school post season tournament.
“I wouldn’t classify it as a normal game, it does mean a little more to each side,” said Lewis, who has been in the dugout at HHS for 27 years, the past eight as the Blue head coach. “Typically it is senior night for whoever has home field, the weather is typically decent and we always have a good crowd. It is the last game of the year and a perfect springboard into tourney play.”
Treadway, in his seventh season leading the Rams and thirteenth overall on the staff at Badin, agreed, adding, “I love the atmosphere personally. You get to see a lot of familiar faces and there is a lot of electricity in the crowd. It is an opportunity to see who will get bragging rights in the city for the next year. Playing Hamilton at the end of each season is a great way to get geared up for the tournament.”
The rivalry is close, with the teams splitting the last 12 meetings. While play on the field can be intense at times, both coaches concurred that the rivalry isn’t one that features animosity.
“To have two school high schools in the same city with that much tradition is special,” Treadway said. “The rivalry is fun. You have Hamilton students and players who are proud of their school and Badin students and players who are proud of their school. We are not bitter enemies though. It is not a heated rivalry. We have a lot of respect for each other and it shows in the play.”
“We look forward to it every year but it is a friendly rivalry, ” Lewis said. “Some rivalries have a lot of animosity, but this game is nothing like that. We have the utmost respect for (Treadway) and the Badin program. Hamilton kids want to win and Badin kids want to win.”
On May 5th at Hamilton High, more memories will be made. Fans will cheer, parents will boast and players will forever remember one night where the city of Hamilton is united in baseball glory.