The Saskatchewan Baseball Association changed its mind about not allowing four Yorkton boys to play on Melville's midget AA baseball team.
It seems this sudden change of heart on Wednesday, June 5 by the SBA happened because the parents went forward with legal action over the baseball ban.
It is a shame the SBA threw unnecessary political obstacles in front of the four boys. They just wanted to play ball and couldn't in their hometown because of the lack of interest at the midget level in the Yorkton area.
The parents and the boys are happy to put this unforeseen incident behind them.
"We are happy this unfortunate event is over," said Karen Marshall, who is a mother of one of the four boys. "The boys are happy to be playing ball again and all of us parents are happy we can watch them play."
There are, however, some catches. Melville now has to register at the AAA level for provincial baseball if they choose to keep the four Yorkton boys on their roster. If the club goes with an all-Melville roster, they could register for AA provincial ball.
Here is an exact look at what the SBA required from the boys and their parents to allow them back onto the Melville team.
That each player is permitted to participate in regular league play as a member of the Melville Midget Baseball Team.
That each player is permitted to be named to the Provincial Roster of the Melville Midget Baseball Team.
That upon naming one or all of the subject players to the Provincial Roster, Melville shall register for the Provincial Championship as a AAA baseball centre.
That the Melville Midget baseball team shall agree to keep on its Provincial Roster all of the existing players named to date (consisting of 12 players as of today's date).
That in 2014, all of the players named (unless eligible for Junior baseball) shall register with Yorkton baseball, and are eligible for consideration (after registration) for a transfer on the same terms and conditions as apply herein, for 2014, but this acknowledgment does not pre-determine the outcome of that process.
Any judicial or extra-judicial proceedings taken herein to date, shall be discontinued, with each party bearing their own costs to date.
(See Yorkton This Week's June 5 edition for previous details on the baseball ban)
