Managers, we had some really bad weather in December and January, but have faired pretty well since then.  We have rattled off several tournaments in a row now with great weather, and hopefully we will continue our good fortune.   BUT, let me remind you that the National Weather Bureau says we are in for a possibly rough summer and fall, with a higher than average chance of many more Tropical Storms and Hurricanes that reach landfall than in normal years.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

I have several things for you but let me start with an idea that I have pondered for the last couple of years:

 

I am in my eighth year as your Chairman so obviously I am on my downside as far as the Chairman's role, even though I am not quite ready to step down yet.  I will run again in the fall but I want to make sure that you have great leadership after I am gone.  I feel very strongly that because FHC Softball has become so large and intricate that we need to have a Chairman that has already had experience on the Board of Directors, and that person needs to come from that existing Board, and have at least 2 years of experience on our Board of Directors.  Having a recent knowledge of the day-to-day workings of my office is paramount, and is necessary to make sure that FHC continues on for decades to come.  You will vote on just that later this month.

 

If you have a need for a "Rabbit Runner," that person needs to contact me or Hal Hatley, our Vice Chairman.  You will need a Doctor's Note, and contact us well before a tournament.  Our contact information is on the website.

 

In our "extra inning" or "shortened games," we are experimenting with the following:

Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the dugout or near the dugout area. This could mean an ejection and a suspension.  Please make your Players aware.  Also, make sure your Players are not intoxicated at the ball field period.  We had an incident at the last 50's Tournament where a Player had too many, and made a very serious remark to one of our maintenance crew.  That cannot be tolerated, as you know.

 

Please stay at our Hotels that are listed on the website.  We get good rates, and that helps us pay for the Sites where we play.

 

One of the "points of emphasis" at our spring umpire clinics was to stop the arguing of balls and strikes.  That is not allowed at any level of baseball and softball, and we want to curtail that as well. The umpires have the authority to treat that just like we treat the "pitcher behind the screen" rule.  Let your Players know that if anyone argues balls and strikes (ie: Shortstop) then the pitcher can be replaced.

 

Once a tournament is completed, you have 30 days to check your roster on our website, and make sure your Players get the proper credit.  Even is someone is injured, but they come to the tournament, they still get credit.  Do not check in Players that are not physically there.  A Manager could be suspended for an illegal Player.

 

We will be checking bats on a random basis, and will check an entire bracket when we do.

 

Please do not argue about the screen rules.  That is a "safety issue."  We care about all of you, we want you to be around, and so does your family.

 

We do not allow protests.  On Saturday, I was at the South County Site, and I was asked to come to a field to discuss a rule.  A Player received a walk, and carried the bat to first and the umpire correctly called him out.  The Manager wanted help, so the umpires obliged him and called me over.  I said that in FHC, the batter is out, and the Manager yelled out that I was wrong, that it was not in the rules, and that he would protest.  I quickly warned the Manager about his tone, and we played on.  We have 2 problems here. The first problem is that "the only time a Player can carry a bat to first is on a home run, because that becomes a dead ball when it goes over the fence.  A walk is still a live ball.  Secondly, we do not allow "Protests."  We take care  of any situation then and there.  If there were to be a protest, I would have been the person to decide the protest.  Kind of redundant, don't you think?

 

See you at the ball park,

 

Coach Mike Knowles

FHC Chairman