Oxford (AL) – Oxford could have its first professional team if the City Council approves sending softball’s Vipers from Choccolocco Park
By Al Muskewitz
Rick Schiffhauer visited Choccolocco Park several months ago. He fell in love the facility and the people he dealt with so much that he decided to become a partner with them. He thought it was a great place to bring his professional softball team.
In the meantime, Oxford will be home to its first professional team. The Smash It Sports Vipers, a women’s fast-pitch league, will relocate from Florida and operate in Choccolocco Park. Schiffhauer stated Monday that she understood the vote was tomorrow and expected the result to be favorable. “We are excited to be part of the community, bring a first rate professional team to the region and really, really explode fast-pitch softball within the area.
Officials from Oxford deferred comments until Tuesday’s vote. Schiffhauer, co-founder and part owner of the league, said that WPF also has franchises located in Florida, Dallas (owned former MLB All-Star Brandon Phillips), and Oklahoma City. Local fans will be familiar with the league’s Pride team, which played an exhibition series at Choccolocco Park last year in preparation for the World Games in Birmingham.
From May through August, the league will play a 36 game schedule. Twelve games against each team, six at home and six away. The season will be held concurrently with the Choccolocco Monsters wood bat college team’s season at Signature baseball field. [ Read more…]
