Thank You

I wanted to take a moment to thank my teammates for making this such a successful season. Our little team was formed on the run after Baldy and his Buttheads left after the spring season, and I had no right to believe that we would be able to have the kind of success we had this season.

I am indebted to Dan Mitchell for being the top scout for our team during the first two frantic weeks when we had to pull a team together for the fall. Dan was responsible for encouraging Austen Bannan and Scott Nelson to join us from the Digglers squad, and his efforts to fill the gaps when we were short a player or two in the early games made a big difference.

I am grateful for the return of three U.S. Exporters veterans who had long ago retired from the squad: Jody Bankins, LeRoy Cheek, and Erik Lundquist.

When I heard that Jim Duffy would return to the Washington area after several years away, and that he was willing to play for our team despite his busy schedule, I started to feel more confident about our prospects.

It was my good fortune to have an internet web site that would entice Todd Pace to send me an email inquiring about joining the team. It is my opinion that Todd will be a future team all-star if his work schedule will permit it.

But most of all I am grateful to Dan Meehan, who saved our team from forfeit on September 12, 2006, then stayed with us for the rest of the season. Dan proceeded to win the team batting and RBI titles, and became the most dangerous hitter on the team. Thank you for your generous contribution of time to this team, Dan.

Finally, thank you to those of you from the old team who stuck together despite the shock from the balding buttheads. We would not have been able to compete in this league without Kelvin Foreman, Roger Morse, Ryan Gale, Wes Scott, and Ed Frank. They were the core players that remained to preserve the spirit of the traditional U.S. Exporters softball team, and there will be a cozy spot in heaven awaiting you all for your friendship and loyalty.

Once again, thank you. Play ball!

Jay Hatfield