Hello, everyone.
Welcome to the first of monthly commentaries on the issues affecting sports and recreation in Sedona and the Verde Valley.
From Camp Verde to Clarkdale, from Jerome to Rimrock, an awesome fall school sports season is fully underway.
So why is my first column about adult slow-pitch softball?
Because some of the participants, who travel from all of those towns and others across the Verde Valley to leagues in Cottonwood and Sedona, take the games a tad too seriously.
This occurred to me while covering the Sedona Parks and Recreation department’s Summer Adult Softball League championship Sept. 11, in its latest finish ever.
An auspicious date, to be sure. Especially when players are screaming profanities at other players and threatening umpires, who scream and threaten back before both teams end up clearing their dugouts — all in front of their children and families, no less.
The third baseman for the league champion ended up being ejected from the game after screaming F-bombs at the other team while running off the field after pulling off a fantastic over-the-shoulder catch and double play.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 1, issue of the Camp Verde Journal.
