Berwick Assistant Police Chief JP Henry, left, and Warren Raymond of the Centerville Volunteer Fire Department compete in the round robin portion of Saturday's Battle of the Badges at Kemper Williams Park.
The Review/Bill Decker
Bayou Vista Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Kinslow, left, and Patterson Volunteer Fire Department Chief Scott Hutton pitch in the round robin portion of the Battle of the Badges.
Bayou Vista and Patterson firefighter Chance Fraley, left, and Justin Morvant of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office retrieve their horseshoes.
Hilton Rhodes, left, and Jimmy Percle fry fish and cook white beans and jambalaya at the Battle of the Badges. Not pictured are Angela Percle and Craig Rink.
Centerville volunteer firefighter Warren Raymond had this shirt made for the Battle of the Badges. It shows a firefighter with a fishing pole landing a police officer and says, "You gotta be quicker than that."
Al Dodson shows the banners that have been made for the winner of this year's Battle of the Badges.
The St. Mary firefighters won two of three 40-shoe games to claim the victory and the traveling plaque in this year's Battle of the Badges. Shown from left are Kevin Kinslow of the Bayou Vista Volunteer Fire Department; Patterson and Bayou Vista firefighter Tyler Boudier; Justin Morvant of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office; and Carl Reed of the Berwick Police Department.
No three-peat: Firefighters win Battle of the Badges
St. Mary Parish firefighters fought it out with law enforcement officers Saturday in the Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association Battle of the Badges tournament at Kemper Williams Park.
The law enforcement officers have won both previous Battle of the Badges events, and are in possession of the traveling trophy. On Saturday, both sides indulged in some good-natured trash talk.
“When the police lock the keys in the car at the donut shop,” said Bayou Vista Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Kinslow, “remember it’s the fire department they call to unlock it.”
And there's this from a St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Facebook post:
"Over the past year, Kinslow and his smoky-smelling counterparts in red have bought horseshoe kits, joined the Bayou Horseshoe Pitchers Association and have been very vocal about their year-long preparation to try to take this year's tournament championship." The law enforcement officers are looking for "dat three-peat."
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And so it went.
In the end, the firefighters came out on top, beating law enforcement two out of three 40-shoe games.