2008 Season

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ERRORS IN 2008 DIXIE SOFTBALL
RULE BOOK

Please make note of the following errors and corrections in the 2008 Dixie Softball Rule Book:
1. Page 92, section I, article (D), 1^st sentence:

The rule presently reads: Leagues forfeiting games in tournament competition (any division) shall not be granted tournament privileges the following year for its entire league.
NOTE: The rule should read: Leagues forfeiting games in tournament competition shall not be granted tournament privileges the following year in the age division that the forfeit occurred.

2. Page 98, section VII, 4th NOTE, 2^nd sentence:

The rule presently reads: Penalty for assisting a batter/baserunner or baserunner (umpire’s judgment) shall be a one (1) strike call on the next batter.
NOTE: The rule should read: PENALTY: A warning will be issued to the coach-pitcher and there shall be a (1) strike call on the next batter. Any subsequent violation shall result in the violating coach-pitcher being removed from the game and not being allowed to return to that game as a coach-pitcher.

3. Page 98, Section VII, Article (D):

The rule presently reads: A DIXIE ANGELS pitcher shall not pitch in consecutive games played by her team in the same tournament if she has pitched in two (2) or more innings of the previous game.

NOTE: The rule should read: A DIXIE ANGELS pitcher shall not pitch in consecutive games played by her team in the same tournament if she has pitched in three (3) or more innings of the previous game.
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DIXIE OFFICERS ELECTED

The Dixie Softball, Inc. National Board of Directors met in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on September 22, 2007. At that meeting the national officers were elected to a three-year term. All those elected were unopposed. The results of the election are as follows:

President/Treasurer – Obie Evans
Vice President – Preston Leonard
Secretary – Yvonne Bright
Darlings Commissioner – Arnold King
Angels Commissioner – Zack Black
Ponytails Commissioner – Richard Murphy
Belles Commissioner – Mickey Snell
Debs Commissioner – Clarence Jordan

Mickey Snell of Alabama was elected Belles Commissioner. He replaced long time Belles Commissioner J. D. Painter. Painter had served as Belles Commissioner since 1991. He served as Tennessee state director from 1983 through 1992. In 2006 Painter was honored when the Dixie Belles World Series Championship Award when it was decided that the award would honor him by placing his name on the award along with that of Carl O. Boelte. Dixie Softball thanks and appreciates the 25 years of service Painter gave to the national program of Dixie Softball.

Snell, who is from Ozark, Alabama, served a number of years as District 6 District Director. He has served as Alabama’s state director since 2002. He will serve as state director through the 2008 season. Dixie Softball congratulates Snell on his election to the National Belles Commissioner position.

AWARD NAMED FOR BLACK

The DSI National Board of Directors chose to honor Charles “Zack” Black by naming the Dixie Angels World Series Championship Award the Charles R. “Zack” Black Dixie Angels Championship Award. The first award in Black’s name was presented to the Alexandria National, Louisiana team at the 2007 Dixie Angels World Series held in Denison, Texas.

In 2000, Black was appointed to serve as the very first Dixie Softball National Angels Commissioner. He was surprised by the honor bestowed upon him at the opening ceremonies of the 2007 Dixie Angels World Series when DSI National President Obie Evans announced publicly for the first time the naming of the award in honor of Black. Black received a well-deserved standing ovation.

CHANGES IN HALL OF FAME SELECTIONS

The following were changes made in the selection of members of the Dixie Softball Hall of Fame:

In order for members to be selected they must receive at least 65% of the votes cast.
If a nominee is not selected following five (5) years of being on the ballot they must wait two (2) years before they will be eligible to be nominated again.
A nominee can only appear on the ballot for only two (2) nominations.
A name that is not eligible for nomination to the Hall of Fame may be selected to the Hall of Fame if they receive 100% of the votes cast.

Nominations for the Hall of Fame in the categories of players, coaches, administrators, umpires, leagues, special contributors and suppliers may be sent to: GORDON L. HOBBS, CHAIRMAN, 2456 STONEVIEW ROAD, ORLANDO, FL 32806. Nominations must be postmarked no later than June 1 of the current year.

WORLD SERIES SITES AWARDED FOR 2008 & 2009

Alexandria, Louisiana was awarded the rights to host the 2008 Dixie Angels, Dixie Belles and Dixie Debs World Series. Alexandria placed bids for the three Series at the DSI National Board of Directors meeting in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Alexandria has hosted six World Series in the past.

Pineville, Louisiana was awarded the rights to host the 2008 Dixie Darlings and Dixie Ponytails World Series. This will be Pineville’s first time to host a Dixie Softball World Series.

With all five Dixie Softball World Series being hosted in Alexandria and Pineville it will be the first time that all of Dixie Softball’s World Series will be played in the same area at the same time.

In 2006, Dixie Softball, Inc.’s National Board of Directors decided that Dixie Softball World Series could be awarded two years in advance. Sumter, South Carolina took advantage of that new policy and placed a bid for all five Dixie Softball World Series. The 2009 Dixie Darlings, Angels, Ponytails, Belles and Debs World Series will be played in Sumter. This will be the first time that all five Dixie Softball World Series will be played at the same time at the same site.

Congratulations to Alexandria, Pineville and Sumter. Leagues like these make it possible for Dixie Softball to continue offering the fantastic events of World Series for the girls. If your program is interested in bidding for a 2010 Dixie Softball World Series send your intent to bid to: Dixie Softball, Inc., 1101 Skelton Drive, Birmingham, AL 35224. You may send a request for requirements to host a World Series to the aforementioned address or send a request to email address OBIEDSI@aol.com.

Below are the rule and policy changes passed by the DSI National Board of Directors that will go into effect with the 2008 season. The changes are italicized and underlined.

RULE Changes

Page 65, Section II, Article (A): Angels games will be five (5) innings.

Page 66, Section II, Article (D), EXCEPTION: NOTE: This rule will also apply to league championship games.

Page 74, Section I, Article (B): A league may have up to seven (7) teams in an age division.

Page 78, Section V, Article (B), Sub-Article (1): (LOCAL LEAGUE OPTION) At every age division change all players will be put in an open draft and will remain in that league until they reach the next age division change.

Page 93, Section VII, Article (K), 1^st Sentence: Delete wording following the word “for” and replace with: the particular age division forfeiting a tournament game.

POLICY Changes

Beginning with the 2008 Dixie Softball, Inc. National Board meeting the following attendance policy will be in effect: (1) Any Board member missing two (2) consecutive Annual meetings of Dixie Softball, Inc. that are ruled unexcused will be removed from the Board. The National President shall decide whether the absence is excused or unexcused. (2) Any Board member missing three (3) out of five (5) Annual meetings of Dixie Softball, Inc., excused or unexcused, shall be removed from the Board.

Page 85, Article I, Section (A), 1^st Paragraph, 1^st Sentence: NOTE: Any ruling that concerns the changing of a tournament bracket must be first approved by the President.

Page 85, Article I, Section (A), 2^nd sentence: The World Series shall be made up of only twelve (12) teams. District or state tournament exceeding more than ten (10) teams must receive permission from the proper Commissioner with approval by the President.

Article II, Section (E): Change $200.00 to $400.00.

2008 ELECTIONS

In 2008, there will be elections held for the following members of the Dixie Softball National Board of Directors. Those elected will serve a three-year term:

NATIONAL DIRECTORS

Mikey Shea – Mississippi
Preston Leonard – North Carolina
Jerry Craig – Tennessee
Zack Black – Virginia

All nominations for the office of National Director must be sent to: Obie Evans, President, 1101 Skelton Drive, Birmingham, AL 35224. Nominations must be regular mail postmarked on or before April 1, 2008 and in the hands of the President by April 4, 2008.

STATE DIRECTORS

Mickey Snell – Alabama
Steve McMellon – Arkansas
Danny Brooks – Florida
Dan Stewart – Georgia
George Matthews - South Carolina
Pat Belinowski – Texas

All nominations for the office of State Director must be sent to: Preston Leonard, Vice President, 809 Oak Grove Road, Kings Mountain, NC 28086. Nominations must be regular mail postmarked on or before April 1, 2008 and in the hands of the Vice President by April 4, 2008.

The following are inductees for the class of 2007 DSI Hall of Fame:

LEAGUES

APPOMATTOX, VIRGINIA
BEAUREGARD, LOUISIANA
BOTETOURT, VIRGINIA
CHERRYVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
DE QUINCY, LOUISIANA
DECATUR COUNTY, TENNESSEE
DICKSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
EAST HICKMAN, TENNESSEE
EMPORIA-GREENSVILLE, VIRGINIA
FANNIN, TEXAS
GEORGE COUNTY SOUTHERN, MISSISSIPPI
HARTSELLE, ALABAMA
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA
LANCASTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
LANCASTER SOUTHERN, SOUTH CAROLINA
WALTERBORO-COLLETON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
WEST MONROE, LOUISIANA
WEST STANLY, NORTH CAROLINA

PIONEER LEAGUES

FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA
SOUTH BIBB, ALABAMA
TARRANT, ALABAMA
HUDSON, TEXAS

PLAYERS

EMILY BARBEE
BRITANNY LEVERETTE
LINDSEY WILLIAMSON
BARBARA WATTS
MEGAN HALL

PIONEER PLAYERS

ROSE REGISTER
DONNA THOMPSON
ROBIN WHITAKER

COACHES

JAMES BRYANT
MIKE LEVERETTE

PIONEER COACHES

PETE MARRERO
LARRY GAFFORD

ADMINISTRATORS

GARY HARDISTY
PRESTON LEONARD
TIM NEELY
MAYER “BUDDY” COHEN

PIONEER ADMINISTRATORS

CARLTON McWHORTER
DAVID HARSH
C. J. GIBSON

UMPIRES

JUDY BLACKMAN
MICHAEL CAGLE
EARL LONG
CHARLES “SHEP” RICHARDSON
TERRY SINGLETON

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

LINDA NUNNALLY

APPROVED SUPPLIERS

JP SPORTS
DCEMBROIDERY

Dixie and YouthSportsUSA announce a major upgrade:

Broadcast events over the web.
This exciting one time introductory offer is available to the
first 1000 Franchises to activate their site.
Download the Official Dixie Tournament brackets. Here
Contact Your National and State Directors. Here
Check out the Upcoming Events Calendar. Here