Dixie Youth Baseball Rules

Rants and Raves: Coaches touched lives

RAVE: For the lifetime contributions of two area sports leaders who died recently.

Charles Sikes, 74, won two state football championships in a coaching career that spanned 33 years. He coached in Georgia and at Valley, Carver, Lanier and South Montgomery high schools.

Chase Riddle, 85, was an icon at Troy University, where he led the baseball team to a 434-147-2 record over 12 years. His teams won five Gulf South Conference championships and two Division II national titles in 1986 and 1987. His jersey was retired in 1990 and Pace Field, home of the Trojans, was later renamed Riddle-Pace Field.

Both men had huge and positive impacts on the lives of hundreds of young athletes. They will be missed.

RANT: For what is missing in Auburn football coach Gene Chizik's new contract -- a stipulation that allows the university to suspend his pay if the program is being investigated by the university, the SEC or the NCAA for "alleged major rules violations or significant or repetitive violations."

That provision, spelled out in his 2008 contract, is missing from his new one that will pay him $3.5 million a year. It was a good idea that protected the university, and it should not have been left out of the new one.

RAVE: For the life and work of Dr. Thomas E. Lyle, the longtime director of the Alabama State University marching band. Lyle, who led the ASU band from 1964 to 1988, died last week. Under his leadership, the ASU band was often seen at such national events as professional football halftime shows.

RANT: For the failure to deliver the championship virtually promised by the three superstars on the Miami Heat NBA team, and for the play of the self-styled "King" LeBron James. As the Dallas Mavericks defense clamped down on the Heat late in the championship series games, James wilted. His play -- coupled with his hubris -- made him the worthy butt of online jokes.

Our favorite: Did you hear that Florida has declared a new state holiday in honor of LeBron James? Everyone gets to leave work 12 minutes early.

RAVE: For Jordan O'Neal Freeman and Bryant Northington of Prattville High School, who were awarded the 2011 Paul Easterling Dixie Youth Baseball Scholarships of $500 each. The Autauga Area Community Foundation awards the scholarships to Autauga County high school students who have participated in Dixie Youth League baseball, displayed good sportsmanship, and provided community service.

RAVE: For Dr. Steven Chesbro, dean of the College of Health Sciences at Alabama State University, who has been selected to receive the Diversity 2000 Award for 2011 from the American Physical Therapy Association. Chesbro is being honored for his commitment to increasing cultural diversity and cultural competence in the profession.

Bacot Park abandoned by youth baseball league, citing shooting ...

Mayor Tommy Fortenberry said he wants the move to be a permanent one.

The 19 teams of the Dixie Youth League Baseball moved out of Bacot Park off Ladnier Road after a May 24 shooting in a nearby public apartment complex, said Steve Torres, a member of the league's board directors.

"That's one of the many incidents that we've had there in recent months," Torres said. "Every year it is always something. This year it has been a lot worse."

Torres said vehicles have been burglarized during games and people walk through the park with pit bulls.

"You can't have stuff like that with these kids," he said.

There are about 230 league youths who are 4 to 12 years old, he said.

The problems prompted a proposal at the Tuesday, June 7, City Council meeting to accept the Jackson County Board of Supervisors' offer for the city to assume ownership of Buddy Davis Park, which is north of Interstate 10 off Martin Bluff Road.

"I'm not sure we can afford to operate 2 fields," Fortenberry said at the meeting. "I'm definitely in favor of moving our ball teams to Buddy Davis field and out of Bacot Park until that area can be brought back into control down there."

A tournament from June 17 to 24 remains the only league activity for the season and those games will be held at Buddy Davis Park, Torres said.

Gautier to seek ownership of Buddy Davis Park?

Instead of adopting a motion to take over Buddy Davis Park , the council asked the city administration to study the costs involved if the city were to assume ownership of the facility.

Councilman Hurley Ray Guillotte, whose district includes Bacot Park, said he has faith that police can solve the crime problems at Bacot.

"To pick up and leave is terrible," he said.

Fortenberry said he has confidence in the police too, but "You could put 100 police officers there and as soon as they leave they start again."

The mayor said there have been 103 calls for police since January in the Bacot Park. Of those calls, 11 were for shots fired and 27 for assaults, Fortenberry said. "When you go to Buddy Davis field to play ball you go out to play ball," Fortenberry said. "You don't have people walking across the field with their pit bull dogs on chains and you don't have sagging pants coming across. You don't have shootings going on and things like that."

Police Chief Eddie Williams said the May 24 shooting occurred at 7:50 p.m. as teams played on 4 fields at Bacot Park.

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