A sheriff’s deputy and an umpire have been arrested following a fight at a youth baseball tournament in Starkville.
The incident took place Sunday after a game at the Cornerstone Sports Complex with a parent capturing the entire altercation on video. The Starkville Police Department confirmed to The Dispatch that Oktibbeha County deputy Lt. Darrell Holley, a coach for the local 14U Sports Performance Center Select team, and Jeff Akins, an umpire for the tournament, were arrested on misdemeanor charges.
Tensions flared after the game and elevated when Holley seemingly got physical with Akins while the two were apparently arguing. A retaliatory shove looked to be delivered by Akins before punches were exchanged by both. A player, reported to be Holley’s son, was also involved as he struck Akins with several punches in the fight.
Officials eventually stepped in to break up the violent encounter. At this time, what prompted the altercation has not been established by law enforcement or tournament officials.
Grand Slam was the organization overseeing the tournament. Its Mississippi state director, Mike Narmour, said he is assessing the incident while adding that Grand Slam “unequivocally condemns” the events that played out on Sunday. Narmour noted that those involved in the fight will be banned from all future tournaments.
“Grand Slam Mississippi unequivocally condemns the events that took place during the Starkville tournament. Youth sports are to be built on respect, integrity, and safety, and any actions that undermine those values are not acceptable,” Narmour said. “Violence of any kind has no place in our organization and will not be tolerated. We are committed to addressing this matter appropriately and ensuring a safe, respectful environment for all participants.”
Sports Performance Center, a Starkville-based baseball training facility, responded to the incident involving one of its teams. In a Sunday statement, the organization denounced violence and physical confrontations, adding that it exists to teach athletes sportsmanship the core tenants of the game – not to encourage bad behavior. The organization vowed to respond to the fight “accordingly.”
“First and foremost, we want to be clear: there is no place in youth sports for violence or physical confrontation of any kind. SPC was built not only to offer opportunities for athletes of all levels to learn the game, but to promote growth through the game of baseball that will positively impact our players off the field as well,” the organization’s statement reads.
“We believe this sport is an avenue through which players learn discipline, accountability, sportsmanship, respect, and resilience. Today’s actions did not reflect those values, and any behavior that obstructs these goals will not be tolerated. We are taking this matter very seriously and will continue to address it appropriately.”
Starkville police are continuing to investigate the altercation. No further details are available at this time.
