Softball Kerfuffle

Dear Editor:

Over the years Dixie Softball has had a great working relationship with Port St. Joe Dixie Softball program and most of the people involved with the Port St. Joe softball program.  Whenever, a league chooses to not associate with Dixie Softball we write to the league and wish them well and if they ever wanted to play Dixie Softball in the future they would be welcome back.  Most leagues receive the letter and move on or in a lot of cases, return and play Dixie Softball.  Not so Port St. Joe.

Every year a franchise renewal form is sent to each Dixie Softball league that franchised the previous year.  Port St. Joe franchised in 2009 and was sent a renewal form.  Instead of just discarding the form and finding the Port St. Joe girls a better softball program a league official sent the following e-mail to Dixie Softball: "Just wanted to let you know that St. Joe will not be playing Dixie.  Neither are most cities in the panhandle.  LOL.  Ever, wonder why?  Look at the idiots running the state and national level.  That is the reason,"

Not only was this terrible and classless email received but the writer wrote other such emails and states that he has posted photos on "Youtube" and from his email the posting, if he did post it, is based on a lie.  Why would he want to do that other than try and destroy the reputation of Dixie Softball and its officials?  We will review the "Youtube" posting and make a decision for the next step.

Guess you can call me the "Head Idiot.”  I am the national president of Dixie Softball.  The writer of the email not only, in my opinion, misrepresented the people of Port St. Joe, for I have met and worked with many good people in the Port St. Joe Dixie Softball program over the years.  The writer was removed from a Dixie Softball game during tournament play in 2009 for violating a safety rule and from what I have been told not representing his program in the manner that is expected by all people involved with Dixie Softball.  Port St. Joe has always had great people and it is a shame that one individual could destroy the great relationship between a fantastic softball program like Port St. Joe and Dixie Softball.

The writer told me the program he has chosen and I will not down that program. Is Dixie Softball a better program? You betcha.  The main thing that upset the email writer was because Dixie Softball enforced its rules and perhaps he is looking for a program that will bend or even break their rules in order to please.  Dixie Softball will enforce its rules regardless of who the offender is.  That is the way it should be.

The people of the Port St. Joe girls softball program needs to check into its leadership and find out the truth of why they will not be playing Dixie Softball in 2010.  They can do this by contacting me at OBIEDSI@aol.com or call 205-785-2255.  Better yet, I will come down and meet with the people of Port St. Joe and answer any concerns and questions that there may be concerning why Port St. Joe may not be playing Dixie Softball in 2010.

Obie Evans

1101 Skelton Drive

Birmingham, AL 35224