Birmingham, Ala., mayor Randall Woodfin is defending a move by the city's parks and rec department to cancel the 2023 youth baseball season.
Last week Birmingham's parks department sent an email to parents that read in part, “We as a department have decided to cancel the 2023 Youth baseball season because organizations have not paid the registration fee of $150 per team before the Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 extended deadline”
“One word is unfair,” Carlos Rogers, Wenonah Pirates Baseball Coach, told WBRC. “It’s unfair for the parents. It’s unfair for the community. It’s unfair for the city and most importantly, it’s unfair for the kids.”
Rogers and another coach, Clarence Harris, both said they hadn't heard anything from the city about registration for the league.
Woodfin, however, said in a Facebook post on Sunday that his office was told coaches did not provide paperwork to the department.
“The first deadline to turn in paperwork was April 19th, second deadline to turn in paperwork was April 30th and last deadline to turn in paperwork was Wednesday May 3rd. This group never responded or turned in necessary paperwork,” the mayor wrote.