Wednesday, May 27th.

I hope that everyone is doing fine and staying healthy. There has been a couple of changes since my last post on May 13th. Here is what I know right now. 

The City of Winter Haven updated their website on May 21, 2020 and it still shows that the Diamondplex will be open for playing ball on Friday, June 12th. They are calling this the Phase 5 opening and are limiting the attendance to less than 50 persons. Not sure how that effects our softball league but I will be looking for more detail as the time gets closer. 

Polk County updated their website today and they are going to open up their ball fields on Monday, June 8th. If you want to go to a County ballpark and have batting practice, you will be allowed to do so. You will need to adhere to the CDC guidelines and social distancing requirements.

The City of Lakeland website still shows they are going to wait on the governors Phase 2 plan to be announced before they open up their ball parks. This may change anytime.

There are a lot of rules that we will have to comply with when we start playing softball again. I have seen the rules put out by USSSA, FHC and Don Lamay sent me a copy of the rules that they are going to use in Michigan. Softball will not be the same as it was in March when we left Poinciana. I am sure that Winter Haven Park and Recreation will have some rules for us to follow.  As soon as I know what they are proposing, we will have a Board meeting to discus how we are going to implement these rules and what additional rules that the Board may want to enforce. 

That's all for now. Stay Safe, Wash Your Hands, Practice Social Distancing, Wear a Mask in Public and if you are sick, stay home.  

Don Witmer, Commissioner

Winter Haven Senior Softball

NEWS FROM THE COMMMISSIONER - MAY 13,2020

I  hope everyone is healthy and doing okay. I don't have any good news to tell everyone but I haven't posted anything in a while so I though I had better let you know what I know concerning the opening of the Diamondplex and others.

After the April 27, 2020 City Commission meeting, the City of Winter Haven posted on their website that the DiamondPlex is going to open on May 29th. I got excited and called Cameron Stevens and asked if we could start having pickup games for our league that day. As usual, when you are dealing with the government, what they said is not what they meant. Cameron says their will be no league or pickup softball at the DiamondPlex until at least June 12th. At that time they will make a decision as to how the structure of the league will be handled. This will include the number of players allowed in the dugout, rather or not spectators will be allowed and how they will deal with social distancing. When I hear more, I will let you know.

Polk County announced they were going to open their parks on May 1st. So, I called the parks and recreation department to find out what that meant. Disappointed again. The parks are open but the softball fields remain closed. They could not tell me when they would be open again for playing softball.

The City of Lakeland has started opening up some of their parks. So, I called the parks and recreation department to find out what that meant. Disappointed again. No softball fields are open. They anticipate opening the ball fields when the Governor opens up Phase 2 for the rest of the state. The date of the Governors Phase 2 has not been announced yet.

We are not alone in this lack of softball being played. Florida Half Century had to cancel their
June 6th-7th 60's tournament scheduled for Polk County. Hillsborough County has not opened their fields yet.

There is good news. Bot Hite has been very active with our Facebook page. If you have not joined the growing number of our members on Facebook, send Bob a Facebook request and he will let you join. Good Job Bob Hite.

Stay Healthy. Wash Your Hands, Practice Social Distancing, Wear a Face Mask in Public, Avoid Crowds and stay away from anyone that you know is sick.

Don Witmer, Commissioner
Winter Haven Senior Softball    

NEWS FROM THE COMMISSIONER

Well, it has been over three weeks since we finished softball in Poinciana. I miss it and I miss our fellowship. It does not look like we will be playing ball in Winter Haven any time soon. The City's website says May 9th right now but I expect that to change. This COVID-19 virus isn't going away anytime soon.

I hope that everyone is still safe and healthy. Please continue to practice social distancing, washing your hands and keeping traveling to a minimum. We all have to eat, so we all have to shop at the grocery store. Wear a face mask when in public. We will get through this and start playing softball again in the near future.

Don Witmer, Commissioner
Winter Haven Senior Softball  

NEWS FROM THE COMMISSIONER

I want to thank all of our players that came to Poinciana to continue league play until the COVID-19 Virus made us quit league ball and do to pick up ball. We are now through with pick up ball until this virus is contained and life gets back to normal. Hopefully in May
Mike O'Callaghan's American Legion team was the winner of the league. Mike was a first year manager and did a great job. His players were dedicated and it showed. They will receive a 2020 Championship Patch when we return to playing ball.
We held our annual election on Friday, March 20th at Poinciana. Bob Hite and Chris Constantine were elected to the Board and Don Witmer somehow managed to be Commissioner again. I think it was because nobody else ran for the job.
The 2020-2021 league application is on the website and can be printed. You will need to go to our website, click on registration, click on the link for the application, go the upper right corner of the page next to login, click on the three lines and you will get an option to print. You cannot right click on the application to print. It doesn't work. As usual, there will be plenty of hard copies of the application at the ball park when we get back to playing ball again.
For all of our Players and family that had to leave early to go home due the virus, I hope you made it home safely and will come back next year.
I will continue to update the website when I get information on when we may play ball again at the Diamondplex. Until then, Be Safe, follow the recommendations of the CDC, practice Social Distancing and be ready to play ball whenever we can.

Don Witmer, Commissioner
Winter Haven Senior Softball
 

Friday, March 20th

What a fantastic finish to a shortened and crippled league season. 

I want to commend Don Witmer, Bob Hite and the BOD for their dedicated work to make it so good until COVID-19 stepped up to the plate. Any one of our fantastic pitchers can and will end up striking it out. Especially Don Lamay, our inductee into the HOF this year who was also 4-4 today and 3-4 Tuesday in 3 team national league games. WAY TO GO DON!!!  By the way, I think he is 86 years old. 

We will beat COVID-19 and play another day, hopefully not far down the line. America does have a fantastic team working on stopping the virus. We all need to do our part. 

A special thank you to Bob and Melanie Hite for staying up half the night and making cookies for today. Ralph didn't get them all. 😆 lol. Our mascot Brandi got one that someone dropped in the parking lot. 

Fans in the stands today we're Betty Wells, Joyce Twinam, Sally Strait and Brandi. I also want to commend Tom Capozzi for a fine job of umpiring again. Thanks Tom. 

Now, onto the last game UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.  That game on Tuesday came down to the last inning between 2 of the 3 teams and the catch up team scored 8 in the open inning to win it. 

Today's teams were Hite, Strait and Fabian. Bob's team mustered a total of 8 runs to take home the bronze. Strait and Fabian seesawed the whole game with the Flyers scoring 2 in the bottom of the 7th to win it 21-20-8.   

Here are the hitters for all 3 teams. 

Burner 3-4. Hite 2-3. B.J. 3-4. Vandenburg 2-4. Remington 2-4. Benson 2-3. Learn 2-3.

Hill 4-5. Essenmacher 4-5. Boswell 4-5. Hudson 5-5. Wells 2-4. King 2-4. 

Coffman 3-4.  DeJoung 5-5. Morton 4-5. Rutan 4-5. Bertran 3-5. Zelazny 4-4. Lamar 4-4. Fabian 3-4. 

Again, congratulations Don Lamay and welcome newcomers including John Bertran.

Write up by Loren Fabian   

Polk County Parks

Bad news for the folks that want to have batting practice at Poinciana. Effective at 5:00 PM today, Saturday March 21, all Polk County Parks are closed for any activity.

Sent from my iPhone

WE ARE  PLAYING BALL TOMORROW, FRIDAY MARCH 20TH IN POINCIANA

We are playing ball in Poinciana tomorrow. It will be pickup ball for anyone who wants to come to Poinciana. This will be our last game until the COVID-19 virus is under control. Bob and Melanie Hite will have a surprise for everyone that shows up. Don't tell Ralph or there wont be enough for anyone else. 

The City of Winter Haven has closed the DiamondPlex for games, practice or anything else. We will not be allowed back there any time soon. I have been given several dates beginning at the end of April or maybe until the middle of May. No one knows what this virus is going to do. As soon as it is safe for everyone to get together again, I am sure the City will open up the fields for us to play again.  

Lets be safe out there. If you are not feeling well, don't come to the ball park. Be sure to wash your hands frequently. Don't expose yourself to unnecessary risks if you have neighbors or friends that have traveled outside the Good Old USA. We will do away with the customary hand shake after the game. Prayer Circles are welcome. Have fun. 

See you tomorrow in Poinciana.

Don Witmer, Commissioner