SHELBY - As the American Legion World Series prepared to wrap up its first tournament in its new home of Shelby Tuesday night, the event had already landed in the record books.

Organizers expected large turnouts, but not the 80,000 to 86,000 fans who actually came to 5,500-seat Keeter Stadium.

On Sunday, Day 3 of the five-day tournament, attendance topped 60,000, shattering the all-time record set in Spartanburg in 1938. Games on Monday and Tuesday sent the total attendance figure even higher.

The 15-game series brought overflow crowds at night, averaging 5,900 people per session, officials said. Attendance figures were based on pre-sale tournament passes for all 15 games, walk-up tickets and VIPs, umpires and tournament staff, according to officials.