Gary Hamby, head coach of the Caldwell County Post 29 American Legion baseball team, will be inducted into the North Carolina American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2009.

Hamby will join Ricky Crumpler of Goldsboro, Clayborn Council of Cary, Ernest Taylor of Greenville, N.C., and the late William Smith of Stanley in the HoF, which will holds its Class of 2009 induction ceremony in Kinston on March 2010.

According to Area IV commissioner Bill Murray, himself a state Legion Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, the nominations of Hamby and the other Class of 2009 inductees were decided on by the state HoF nominations committee on Friday in Raleigh.

"It's kind of a surprise," Hamby said. "I'm really appreciative of it, because it's something quite meaningful.

"I continue to be blessed with some really good players and people around me, and they've helped me look better than I actually was."

Hamby has coached Post 29's varsity team for 13 seasons, guiding the program to three state American Legion championship and three more appearances in the state title round.

Hamby, who is approaching 400 career Legion wins, has also coached the Post 29 teams to five Area IV championships and three runner-up finishes.

"His nomination has been approved," said Murray, who was Post 29's post commander until taking over as Area VI commissioner in 1998.

"I've known Gary all my life, and he's a fine young man. This is well deserved, and it's a fine honor for him."