Southern Belle Of Somerset

IN THE SPRING OF 1971, GERALD CHILDERS, PRODUCTION INVENTORY COORDINATOR, STARTED A SOUTHERN BELLE DAIRY MEN’S SOFTBALL TEAM. AS RECENTLY AS TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEIR INDUCTION INTO KENTUCKY’S HALL OF FAME AND HONOR, SOUTHERN BELLE, FROM SOMERSET, WAS STILL GOING STRONG AND FINISHED 2ND AT THE PRESTIGIOUS HOOTER’S SOFTBALL QUALIFIER IN LEXINGTON.

FROM 1971 TO THE PRESENT (2006), SOUTHERN BELLE IS AND HAS BEEN THE LONGEST-RUNNING SOFTBALL SPONSOR IN THE BLUEGRASS.

IN ITS FIRST 34 YEARS, SOUTHERN BELLE NOT ONLY ‘’GOT MILK’’, BUT THEY GOT AND EARNED RESPECT FROM THEIR PEERS BY WINNING TWO STATE TITLES (1995 AND 2003) AND THREE CONSECUTIVE REGIONALS. A SILVER AND THREE BRONZE MEDALS AT THE BLUEGRASS STATE GAMES, PLUS 6 APPEARANCES AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, ARE JUST PART OF THEIR WINNING TRADITION.

SPONSORING MEN’S SOFTBALL IS JUST PART OF WHAT MAKES SOUTHERN BELLE A SPECIAL ADDITION TO KENTUCKY’S SOFTBALL WORLD. THE DAIRY PROVIDED TWO SOFTBALL FIELDS OF THEIR OWN FOR THEIR TEAMS FROM 1979-1990, AND THESE DIAMONDS ARE NOW BEING USED BY LOCAL LITTLE LEAGUERS. THEY ALSO SPONSORED A WOMEN’S TEAM FOR 5 YEARS.

GERALD CHILDERS WAS THE ORIGINAL COACH FOR SOUTHERN BELLE, AND HE MANAGED FROM 1971-1977 UNTIL HARRISON “HOT DOG” CHILDERS TOOK OVER AND IS STILL SEEN MOST WEEKENDS IN THE COACHES’ BOX.