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We continue our list of the Top 15 Softball Stories of 2020, which will run through December 31st when we’ll present our No. 1 story of the year.
Here are the previous stories (clink on link to read):
- #15… NCAA Allows College Athletes to Be Compensated for “Their Name, Image & Likeness”
- #14… The Emotional Tribute for Texas Tech Signee Jaycee Hamlin
- #13… Two USC Union College Teammates Killed in Car Accident by Drunk Driver
- #12… USA Stand Beside Her Tour… Great Start for Team USA’s Barnstorming Event
We’ve surveyed the softball community and talked internally as well to come up with what were the most impactful and relevant stories of the year pertaining to the world of fastpitch softball.
Where applicable, we are providing the text to the original articles and/or references when the story first happened.
- Click Here to see the Top 15 Stories of 2019
- Click Here to see the Top 15 Stories of 2018
Today’s story… … #11: What happens when you mix a heated political climate with social media? We saw what an explosive mix the two can be, certainly in softball, when a tweet went out from a pro team executive during a game in June and the President of the United States was tagged. When the team found out, the tinder box exploded into controversy and the quick dissolution of the squad.
To provide comments, insights or thoughts, email: [email protected].
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Pro News: Scrap Yard Dawgs 2020 Season Begins with Controversial Tweet, Players Upset… Some Apparently Quitting
Originally published June 23, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Ever since the announcement in April that the top two pro softball teams – the USSSA Pride and the Scrap Yard Dawgs—would be competing this summer against each other at five travel ball events, the excitement was building to see the top players in the world.
The first of those tournaments, the World Fastpitch Championship in Viera, Florida, began last night, but not without a big point of conflict with Dawgs players who were upset with a tweet that was sent out during the game by the Scrap Yard Fastpitch organization, apparently by General Manager Connie May.
The tweet, since removed from the organization’s Twitter page, showed a picture of the team standing before the game accompanied by the statement: “Hey @realDonaldTrump Pro Fastpitch being played live @usssaspacecoast @USSSAPride Everyone respecting the FLAG!”
Many members of the team, which includes all-time greats such as Monica Abbott, Cat Osterman, Keilani Ricketts, Haylie McCleney, Valerie Arioto, Ally Carda, Kesley Stewart—several of whom were chosen to play for Team USA in next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games—were not pleased.
Note: we have reached out to the Scrap Yard organization for a response; and are awaiting comment. Anything received will be added to this story.
One of the most passionate was McCleney, who retweeted many team members’ tweets and other softball standouts including that of Abbott and Natasha Watley:
We might be standing in this photo but we SURE AS HELL AREN’T STANDING FOR THIS. I’m embarrassed. I’m heartbroken. I’m DISGUSTED. @ScrapYardFP I will never be associated with your organization again. BLACK LIVES MATTER. The tone deafness on this is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/5jSNipTFLd
— Haylie McCleney (@hayliemac8) June 23, 2020
My official statement. pic.twitter.com/V4p1rIToAW
— Monica Abbott (@monicaabbott) June 23, 2020
Seriously fuming right now😡🤬 @ScrapYardFP you are better than this! Haven’t we been going over this for the last 3 weeks? This is not funny at ALL! Has nothing to do with respecting the flag and ALL to do with respecting ALL Americans in this country regardless of color of skin pic.twitter.com/cdymUwWRsH
— Natasha Watley OLY (@natashawatley29) June 22, 2020
Infielder Riley Sartain tweeted:
This isn’t us. As players, we do not stand with the tweet sent out by @ScrapYardFP We stand with the black community. We love you and we stand united with you. pic.twitter.com/zJrqVoOSZ6
— Riley Sartain-Vaughan (@rileysartain) June 23, 2020
Catcher Aubree Munro indicated that she no longer be with the team:
Tonight we were misrepresented by Connie May who acted on behalf of @ScrapYardFP I’m appalled by the insentivity & will not represent Scrap Yard ever again. I’m so sorry to all my friends & teammates and the future softball players that are hurt by this. pic.twitter.com/39B1CaO9uh
— Aubree Munro Watson (@Aubree_Munro1) June 23, 2020
As did Carda:
WE ARE DONE. I don’t support this, tolerate this, or stand by this in any way. I WILL NOT represent this organization and am absolutely HEARTBROKEN by this statement. Especially for our black athletes. UNACCEPTABLE. pic.twitter.com/dRN01Wchar
— Ally Carda ⚓ (@acarda3) June 23, 2020
And Delaney Spaulding:
I am heartbroken and pissed off. I DO NOT support this, it is completely insensitive and tone deaf. I will not stand by an organization who makes these comments. We’re done. @ScrapYardFP pic.twitter.com/Qg5YNeV2pc
— Delaney Spaulding (@DelaneyyLyn) June 23, 2020
Others were equally upset and voiced their opinions…
From Hannah Flippen:
I’m embarrassed and broken. I do not support the comments made by @ScrapYardFP. I will not stand with this organization. I believe that Black Lives Matter.
— Hanns (@hannahFlippen) June 23, 2020
From Cat Osterman:
I DO NOT support the comments made during our game by @scrapyardfp & I will not represent them. We as a people are working towards change, and THIS IS NOT IT. pic.twitter.com/ziSTiYxuzQ
— Cat Osterman OLY (@catosterman) June 23, 2020
Some in the Scrap Yard organization, such as Coach Joe Guthrie, also commented:
I do not stand for what was tweeted tonight by @ScrapYardFP. I am deeply saddened for all who were offended. I applaud our players’ stance. They are good people who want decency. Black Lives Matter.
— Joe Guthrie (@JoeGuth08812179) June 23, 2020
And this from Jade Hewitt, who works in the Media side of the Scrap Yard organization:
I do not support any statement tonight made by Scrap Yard.
I did not write or post that tweet.
Black Lives Matter. My heart is truly broken for the pain and hurt so many are feeling. 1/2
— Jade Hewitt (@JadeHewittMedia) June 23, 2020
We will have more on this story as it breaks…
Extra Inning Softball staff
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The Last Inning (June 24, 2020): Wise Words From Shay Knighten, Triple Crown Scraps Scrap Yard & OF Challenge
Originally published June 24, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
Get on board with Extra Inning Softball’s regular feature, The Last Inning.
We are scouring the Internet and Social Media and keeping our ears to the street for the latest going on in the softball community.
To contribute information, insights, thoughts or content ideas, email us at [email protected]. You can also send items/story ideas to Carlos Arias via email at [email protected] or via Twitter @Los_Stuff.
Here’s our TLI for Wednesday, June 24, 2020 …
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SHAY’S WORDS OF WISDOM
TLI was fortunate to cover Shay Knighten, arguably the most clutch hitter in college softball history, during her high school career at Sunny Hills High of Fullerton, CA, so TLI knew what an amazing athlete she was.
Coach Takk, the father of former So Cal Sidelines photographer Patrick Takkinen, was the coach at Fullerton High and he had one rule that he always followed: Always walk Shay. Knighten had destroyed Fullerton’s hopes too many times, so Coach Takk would always intentionally walk Shay even if the bases were loaded.
We all know of Shay’s amazing exploits at Oklahoma and in the Women’s College World Series, but this week she made her voice heard as a strong black woman after the Scrap Yard Dawgs’ tone deaf Tweet on Monday for the Scrap Yard Dawgs’ game against USSSA Pride at the USA Elite Select WFC in Viera, FL.
The Tweet drew wide criticism from the softball community and the players on the Scrap Yard Dawgs’ team. Knighten voiced her thoughts on the Tweet, systemic racism and all the demonstrations going on in the last month since the tragic death of George Floyd.
See me. Hear me. Understand me. pic.twitter.com/z2wpJXyHfL
— Shay✨ (@_shayknighten) June 23, 2020
TLI believes we will be hearing wise words from Shay for years to come.
Shay Knighten cemented her legacy as one of @OU_Softball's greats with one final home run in her career on the biggest stage – trailing by one and facing elimination with her team facing elimination.#NCAASoftball #TBT pic.twitter.com/KI8qPcP7kB
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) July 11, 2019
*** Scroll down to read more…
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Pro News: Former Scrap Yard Dawgs Team Takes on New Name & Identity: “This Is Us”
Originally published June 26, 2020 on Extra Inning Softball
After the stunning turn of events Monday evening involving the former Scrap Yard Fastpitch team, infuriated at what they felt was a “tone deaf” tweet released without their knowledge and, certainly, their approval, announced on Friday that it would be suiting up under a new team name: This Is Us.
The players (click HERE to see the team roster) have created a This Is Us Softball webpage to promote the new team and explain its mission.
Additionally, a video was released that gave a voice to the players and the reasons for the change and the new identity:
In the About section of the site, the following is posted:
This Is Us Softball is a group formed in June 2020 of 18 professional fastpitch softball athletes from all across the United States.
When these athletes were unfairly spoken for in a way that was insensitive to the current climate in America, they decided to walk away from their former professional team, and move forward as an independent unit.
These athletes are using their resources to get back on the softball field for the 2020 summer season, and to continue playing the game they love, while also using their platforms to raise awareness, empower young women, and unite the softball community.
A Yahoo! Article written by Chris Cwik quoted team member Hallie McCleney as saying: “It’s really the same team, we’re just dropping the Scrap Yard portion of it because we no longer want to represent the organization after how we were treated. So we’re going to continue to play for the awareness, the empowerment and the unity.”
According to the article, “Multiple companies reached out to the team to help secure funding and equipment. The USSSA Pride, the team the Scrap Yard Dawgs played against Monday, also offered their full support to the players, coaches and staff that left the organization. The Pride — who were set to play a seven-game series against the Scrap Yard Dawgs during the summer — condemned May’s tweet publicly, and postponed games as a show of solidarity after what happened Monday.”
“’The Pride is 100 percent behind us,’” says Stewart. “’They support everything we’re doing.’”
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UPDATE as of Dec. 21, 2021
About two weeks after This is Us was formed, the increase in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the team to shut down after several exhibition games were played:
Our mission remains. We will continue to work to be a positive voice in our community, and we look forward to the future of This Is Us Softball. pic.twitter.com/0FhDmyerYL
— This Is Us Softball (@thisisussb) July 8, 2020
The team continues to this day; the future is uncertain nationally and internationally as the Coronavirus remains a threat but the hopes are the players will again take the field in their distinctive black and white colored uniforms:
Awareness. Empowerment. Unity.
Using the experience of THIS IS US Softball to create the change we want to see in our community. And it starts with one person, and one team.
Last night was so powerful! Thank you @ltg_18u_2021_2022 🖤🔥 pic.twitter.com/p6W7Mc3dll
— This Is Us Softball (@thisisussb) December 10, 2020
The Scrap Yard team was dissolved and not replaced by the Conroe-Texas based company. The last company tweet was on the night of the incident with the players:
The well-respected facility continued to host events in baseball primarily–one source told us it’s “probably 90% baseball events now with only a couple of small softball tournaments this fall.”
Click HERE to access the Scrap Yard Sports page.