Council upholds ban on softball team

• By DAVID REYNAUD
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: May 9, 2008 - Page: 7B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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CONVENT — The Rookies Softball Organization struck out in its bid to get the St. James Parish Council to lift the team’s 2006 suspension for fighting in time to rejoin the Adult Slow Pitch Softball League for Monday’s opening of the 2008 season.

According to the St. James Recreation Department, a couple of Rookies team members were ejected during the 2006 season for arguing with an umpire during a softball game in Paulina.

Following the ejections, the situation escalated when fans began yelling and Rookies players left the field to fight in the stands. Umpires were threatened and had to be locked in the concession stand while police were called to calm the situation down, the department reported.

In the aftermath of the incident, the Recreation Department banned the Rookies and all team members from ever participating in the parish league again, even if on the rosters of teams other than the Rookies.

Councilman Ken Brass, who represents the home base of the Rookies, asked the council during its meeting Wednesday to form a panel to meet with the team and to review the league’s by-laws to ensure the rules and regulations are clear and that proper documentation is kept. This, Brass said, was not done in regard to the ban imposed on the Rookies.

“These are taxpayers, and that it is not fair to ban them for life without proper documentation,” Brass said. “I think we need to be policy wise.”

A meeting attended by the Rookies, the umpires, the sheriff and council members held about two weeks ago ended in stalemate, said Council Chairman Wilson Malbrough. He added that there are differences between allegations in a complaint letter the Rookies sent to the council and the facts of the case.

Parish President Dale Hymel Jr. said it has been made clear that Rookies Organization members are not to play again as the Rookies softball team.

“We want to provide a safe and healthy environment,” Hymel said. “If this team is allowed back into the league, then there won’t be a league.”

The umpires, other teams, and Recreation Department officials do not want the Rookies team or its players involved in the league, Hymel insisted.

“I agree we need to sit down with the Recreation Department and write better guidelines, but it cannot be done by May 12,” Malbrough said.

Malbrough also threw the Rookies this curveball: The decision on what to do about the Rookies rests with the Recreation Department, not the Parish Council.

According to the league’s policy on fighting, players who fight will be ejected from the game, must leave the park and will be suspended for the rest of the season and the following season. Striking an umpire will result in permanent suspension, the sheriff will be called, and the league director shall file a deposition report of the incident and have the umpire and both team managers sign the report.