What might seem an ordinary tournament to some is much more time-consuming for others. Especially those others who helped Natchez prepare for the 2000 Dixie Youth/Taco Bell AAA 9-10 State Tournament. Porky Smith, Clarence Bowlin, Johnny Atkins and John Mark Williams have been there before.

Smith has been involved in Dixie Youth Baseball for the past 20 years in Natchez, and has also been instrumental in creating opportunities for Natchez to host the state tournament year after year.

Bowlin, who has played a part in Dixie Youth baseball in Natchez for the past four decades, is also a big reason why Natchez has hosted so many state tournaments.

&uot;There aren’t too many people like Porky Smith,&uot; Bowlin said. &uot;Porky has to be one of the best public relations people Natchez has ever had. What he has done for the city of Natchez time and time again is just unparalleled.&uot;

Smith was just as appreciative.

&uot;Clarence is one of the most well respected directors of Dixie Youth baseball in this part of the country,&uot; he said.

Smith said the process for hosting a state tournament starts in January.

&uot;The coaches of that particular league come to us, and they tell us they would like for us to go bid at the state meetings for the chance to host the state tournament,&uot; he said. &uot;We tell them ‘fine’ and to go raise some money, so we can bid on it.&uot;

Once the right amount of money is raised, Smith and Bowlin go to work.

&uot;We then go to the meeting, which is held in Hattiesburg, and make our sales pitch,&uot; Bowlin said.

The Dixie Youth Board of Directors takes a vote and whoever gets the majority of the votes gets the tournament.

Once a location has been chosen to host the tournament, the next phase of preparation begins, such as volunteers, umpires and field workers.

Atkins and Williams have hosted two tournament each.

&uot;We have to do so much, but it’s not just us,&uot; Williams said. &uot;We’ve got parents, volunteers, anyone who’ll lend a hand helping us in everything from making sure the uniforms are clean to making sure all the other ball clubs are well taken care of.&uot;

Williams coached a 9-10 team in 1996 and an 11-12 team in 1998, both of which were runners-up in each tournament.

The two teams Atkins coached that hosted the state tournament won the tournament both times, once in 1991 with a 9-10 team, and once with an 11-12 team.

Bowlin said one of the reasons why he makes such a hard push to have the tournament played in Natchez is the economic impact it has on the city.

&uot;Not just the city, but the players and their families,&uot; he said. &uot;Having eight or 10 teams come to Natchez with parents and relatives all staying in our hotels, and eating in our restaurants has such a great economic impact, it’s tremendous.&uot;

Smith added that even though Natchez isn’t in an ideal location, such as in the center of the state, &uot;the directors and teams enjoy coming to Natchez, because we feel we’ve got a lot to offer.&uot;

Williams echoed those same sentiments.

&uot;Back in 1998 when Natchez hosted the 11-12 State Tournament, there were so many people out at those ball games, it was unbelievable,&uot; he said. &uot;The next to last game that was played in that tournament (a four hour, 12-inning affair between Natchez and Hattiesburg that Natchez won 6-5), there had to have been at least 200 people at the ball park that night, not counting parents, coaches and players.&uot;

Both men said that it’s not just the coaches and directors that put in their time and money, it’s parents as well.

&uot;We’ve always had good cooperation out of the parents of the players, and they don’t have to do what they do most of the time,&uot; Smith said. &uot;Everything from making sure the field is in good shape between games to working the gates to running the Hospitality room is all mostly taken care of by the parents,&uot; for no monetary compensation. It is a very big operation, and without the hard work of all the people of Natchez who are in some way involved in Dixie Youth, we wouldn’t be able to pull it off year in and year out.&uot;