Overview
- At a Starkville 14U tournament on Sunday, coach Lt. Darrell Holley and umpire Jeff Akins fought near the pitcher’s mound after a game, with video showing a push, punches, and Holley’s son striking the umpire.
- Starkville police arrested both men and charged them with misdemeanor fighting not in self-defense, a low-level offense for mutual combat outside self-protection.
- Sheriff Shank Phelps fired Holley on Monday, saying the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office would not tolerate the conduct captured on video.
- Grand Slam Mississippi banned everyone involved from future events, and tournament director Mike Narmour condemned the violence at the youth event.
- The police investigation remains open, and Akins’ family says he received hospital care after the altercation, as local leaders voiced disappointment over adult behavior at a city park.