The U.S. Exporters Fall season came to an end on Thursday
October 26 when the manager of the Mighty Diamonds team, 
Doug Hall, called to tell me that he would not be able to 
raise a team on Saturday.  League Commissioner Ed Robinson
was informed, and we have finished the season with a solid
13-5 record.

Doug Hall did the courteous thing.  I wish all teams acted 
like that.

J.D. DAUNT IS FALL 2000 MVP
The U.S. Exporters Fall 2000 MVP is John (J.D.) Daunt.

Among J.D.'s many accomplishments this season, the most 
challenging was being placed in the tough lead off spot in 
the lineup.  Despite this difficult and demanding 
responsibility, J.D. was able to win the Fall 2000 team 
batting title.  

Just to demonstrate how difficult it is to win a batting 
title in that position of the lineup, this was only the 
second time in team history that a lead off man has 
accomplished this feat (HOFer Dan Diller did it in the 
Spring 1992 season).  

In addition, J.D. tied a team record when he went 5 for 5 
at the plate in the opening game of the season, and he 
would proceed to tie his personal bests for hits (25), 
doubles (5), and games attended (16).

J.D. is only one hit shy of 200 hits for a career on this 
team!

Finally, J.D.'s versatility was also demonstrated when he 
was called upon to take on some emergency defensive duties.  
After outfielder Joe Wiedorfer was injured early in the 
season, J.D. was asked to hold down left field. He did a 
terrific job under some very trying circumstances.

Please join me in congratulating J.D. for a job well done!

TEAM AWARDS
This season's Best Glove Award is presented to Ed Frank, 
who may well be the best defensive first basemen this 
team has ever had (although veteran Tuesday and Masters 
player Doug McHugh may want to issue a challenge someday).  
Well done, Ed!

The competition for the Rookie of the Year Award was 
intense, but when Jim Duffy won the starting shortstop 
position in mid-season the issue was clearly settled.  
We look forward to having Jim with us next season.

~~SOME FINAL WORDS FROM JAY~~
"...Congratulations on another successful season!  
A cynic would point out there were 7 forfeit wins, but 
every forfeit is another sign that Jay is the best 
manager in the league; we never forfeit."
--John Thompson, 10/27/00

I appreciate John's very kind words, but I must 
admit to my teammates that this had to have been one 
of the most frustrating seasons of softball I have 
ever had to manage.  This was really a strange season.

John points out that a cynic would cast doubts on the
success of the season.  I won't argue with that.  John
is absolutely right...

...But we did beat Stuart Grey once, so it wasn't
a waste!

Not since the Fall of 1993 have we had to face so many 
forfeits, rain outs, injuries, and other maddening 
impediments that could have sucked the life out of this 
team.  Instead, we hung together and made a good season 
out of what could have been a real disaster.  We showed 
strong character in the face of adverse circumstances, 
and I admire my teammates for staying tough!
  
I attribute much of the strangeness of this season to the 
very nature of the city we live in:  This is Washington, 
D.C. in the midst of the most hotly contested presidential 
and congressional elections in 40 years!

I must admit one other thing to you all.  I can't think 
of any other place in the world that I would rather be 
than RIGHT HERE on election day, win or lose!  And I 
can't think of a better, or more eclectic, group of men 
to share this extraordinary experience with than the men 
who make up the U.S. Exporters softball team.

Thanks for the season!  Vote well.  Stay fit.  We will
be in touch soon.--Jay