Little League Legend

I am a little late to the editorializing about this situation, but it took me awhile to figure out who exactly was to blame.

Jerricho Scott is a 9 year old little league [editor's note - not Little League, but rather a different organization for developing players] pitcher in New Haven, Connecticut who happens to throw around 40 miles per hour. Apparently, he was scaring opposing hitters to the point where he was told that he could no longer pitch in his league, but that he could continue pitching if he moved up an age bracket. (It is my understanding that 40 mph is not necessarily fast for 9 - 10 year olds, and that Scott has not hit a batter all year). Scott did not pitch in his first game after being told not to pitch, as it was not his usual game in the rotation. However, in the following game, his coach told Scott that he was going to pitch. Upon taking the mound, the competing team's coach had his players leave the field, despite the protestations of the player's themselves. (One of the stories is that the team was 0-8 and their coach wanted the forfeit victory).

One of the allegations is that Scott turned down an offer to play on a different team in that league (the defending champs apparently), and that a board member that banned Scott from pitching was an employee of the defending champs' sponsor.

That, of course, is the Cliff's Notes version, and I am sure that as the (sure to be filed) lawsuit progresses we will hear all types of allegations and excuses, but for right now, I want to figure out who to blame. Here are my 5 people that I feel are the most to blame.

5. Overzealous parents who want their teams to win at all costs. Their ridiculous attitude has led to the development of sports and leagues where nobody wins, nobody keeps score, and everybody just has a good time. This is sports. Kids need to learn how to win, and how to lose. It's part of growing up. If you want your kid to have fun only, then take them somewhere else.

4. Ridiculous parents who don't want to hurt anybodies' feelings, let alone the children. Your kids' feelings will not be permanently damaged because one pitcher is better than them. Your kid won't be permanently damaged if all the pitchers are better than them. Your kids will bounce back. If they aren't good at baseball, try music, soccer, art, pick-up-sticks, whatever. Hell, try all of them. Let the kid figure out what he is good at. It might not be baseball, it might be photography. Who cares.

3. Johnnie Bell of Stuart, Florida - Because he was the pitcher that threw 1000 miles per hour and was the first to have the wicked curve ball that scared everyone in my league. I don't blame him for being good or for the Jerricho Scott situation, but I blame him for ending my baseball career.

2. Parents and bureaucrats that think it is alright to skirt the rules, or change them altogether. If Scott was allowed to pitch at the beginning of the season, let him pitch at the end of the season. The board members of that little league should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

1. YALE! - It was New Haven, after all.