Elijah Dukes of Hazzard

From the St. Pete Times comes this disturbing update on Devil Rays Elijah Dukes. Dukes seems determined to prove the old adage, about the apple not falling far from the tree, to be true.

Dukes, who grew up in Sulphur Springs, saw his father convicted of second-degree murder when he was 11. Elijah Dukes Sr. received a 20-year prison sentence for shooting a man who sold his wife $100 worth of fake crack cocaine.


Imagine you find this text message photo on your cell phone from your estranged husband and the father of your children:



And this voice message to complement the picture:

"You dead, dawg," says an angry voice. "I ain't even bulls-------. Your kids, too."


"Hey, dawg. It's on, dawg. You dead, dawg. I ain't even bulls-------. Your kids too, dawg. It don't even matter to me who is in the car with you. N-----, all I know is, n-----, when I see your m-----f------- a-- riding, dawg, it's on. As a matter of fact, I'm coming to your m-----f------ house."

This quote is also disturbing if it's true, because it show the mind-set that perpetuates the behavior:

"He's trying to act like he's made a change," Gilbert said. "He's made no changes. He's gotten worse. He says that since he plays baseball, 'No one can f--- with me.'"


And this is why the Rays continue to stick with him:

Dukes, who makes the major-league minimum $380,000, is considered one of the best all-around athletes on the Rays, with a mix of speed and power that some scouts predict could make him one of the game's top players.

Unfortunately, Mr. Dukes seems more determined to make paternalistic history, as well as domestic violence history, than baseball history. To further enchance this young charmers character resume, we find these further details:

Four women have gone to court seeking child support from Dukes. In all four cases, the court found Dukes was the father, meaning he has at least five children by four women. Two of those women were pregnant at the same time, giving birth in 2003 within eight days of each other.

Fast Facts:
Elijah Dukes' children

Date of birth Mother Gender
Nov. 25, 2003 NiShea Gilbert boy
Dec. 3, 2003 Carla Bryant girl
June 7, 2004 Shantell Mitchell boy
June 16, 2005 NiShea Gilbert girl
July 19, 2006 Porcia Daniels girl

The complete story is available here:
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/23/Tampabay/Ballplayer_s_wife__He.shtml
Ballplayer's wife: He threatened me, kids
Rays' Elijah Dukes is under a restraining order - again.
By EDUARDO ENCINA and ABBIE VANSICKLE
Published May 23, 2007

But the question is: "How long are the Devil Rays, an organization that seems to be as littered with players of questionable character and behavior as it is with losses, willing to tolerate this sort of behavior from someone that represents the community, the organization and Major League Baseball?"

Where is Roger Goodell when you need him? Can we get a table for two for Mr. Dukes and Mr. Lastings Milledge of the Mets at the next MLB conduct policy meeting? What, they don't have one? Take a page from the NFL, Mr. Selig, if you really care about the fans perception of the "integrity of the game". Integrity and character is displayed by how you conduct yourself when others aren't looking (or you believe that to be the case). These guys are proven failures.

Milledge has had conduct issues going back to high school, the stupidity of releasing a rap song laced with the content he chose at this time, reeks of blatant stupidity.
Trade value reduced to zero, with the Devil Rays exception thrown in.

If this type of story continues, I propose that at the next relocation and contraction discussions that Major League Baseball has, consider transferring the Devil Rays franchise, not to Orlando, but instead to the Florida Correctional League.
It should save them on travel costs.

CHARACTER COUNTS.