In my 34 years as a commissioner of softball leagues in Delaware County I thought I had seen it all - until last week in the Millennium Sunday Softball League.

That's when Barnaby's of Ridley Grey of the "E" division decided that they were unwilling to accept the Board of Captains (4-0) unanimous decision to not allow a player who had played four weeks this season for Hunt's Annex Lounge I of the "Rec" division to play for Barnaby's Grey.

The reason according to team spokesman Mike Hoffman said on a message left on my voice mail (which has been saved and played for the board of captains) was the following.

(1.) The league needed to vote at the league meeting that players were not allowed to play on more than one (1) roster of a team in the league during the season and since it was not in the league's rule's and regulations the Barnaby's Grey team voted that they were going to play Josh Gardiner from Hunt's I regardless of league policy.

League Response:

The league has never allowed a player to play on more than one (1) roster in the league during the season.

Nevertheless a vote was allowed to be taken by the Board of Captains on the matter and the vote was unanimous - the league commissioner does not get a vote unless there was a 2-2 tie.

And the times when it was discovered that a player did play for more than one team in the league, the result was that the coach of the team who allowed the player to play and the illegal player were suspended two (2) games and the team forfeited any games they may have won - this happened as recently as last year.

In this case, as in the past, Josh Gardiner from Hunt's Annex Lounge I may return to his team after serving a two game suspension.

Also, Josh Passadino the coach of Barnaby's Grey will serve a two game suspension.

And Barnaby's Grey will forfeit the game they won last week using the illegal player.

Every year at the league meeting the teams are reminded that players can only play on the roster of one (1) team during the season.

The league's rule's and regulations does not mention the above - nor does it need to - since if anything is not in the bylaws - then the league follows the ASA rule book or as in this case the ASA of PA code where the following is written.

*** No individual roster member may participate on more than one (1) roster team in the same league for the purpose of meeting these Amateur Softball Association of Pennsylvania Roster requirements. ***

So much for the Barnaby's Grey team dictating league policy.

Also not to be forgotten this is the same coach and team that refuses to follow league procedures for turning in weekly lineups which has resulted in suspensions this year.

(2.) The Barnaby's Grey spokesman said that if the league enforced the above mentioned penalties they would fold their team.

League Response:

If Barnaby's Grey does not notify the league by email that they intend on showing up to play their doubleheader vs. the Stanley Kup Inn this Sunday at the 69th Street Main Field (10:00 a.m.) by tomorrow and no later then 6:00 p.m. they will be taken off the schedule and removed from the league.

(3.) And on that same voicemail team spokesman Mike Hoffman stated that he would instruct his sponsor not to make any further arranged payments of his teams league fees and according to league sources the team has already followed through on this.

League Response:

Is any response really needed?

♦

*** If Barnaby's Grey decides to play this Sunday the team will be required to show photo ID of their players to the umpire before the start of the game. ***