Friday, July 22, 2005
Headhunter---T-Ball Style
In what most likely is the worst case of player/coach insanity I've ever read, it appears that "very competitive" T-Ball coach Mark Downs, of southwestern Pennsylvania (land of my birth) paid a player on his team $25 to hit a teammate with a ball so that Downs wouldn't have to play him.
Why?
Because the player was mentally disabled and Downs didn't want to be forced to play him, as T-ball rules stipulate.
This would be disgusting enough if it happened at a pro or college level, but T-ball is for 5-7 year olds, there's no pitching, and it's mostly played to get kids interested in the game. If you've ever watched T-ball in 'action' then you know, there ain't much action. Batters routinely strike out by hitting the rubber 'tee' instead of the ball on top of it. When kids do make contact and the ball dribbles into the shallow infield, it's an even money bet as to whether the kid will run to first or third base. Not exactly the venue for 'Coach' Downs' vision of sports glory in all of it's warpedness.
Words truly fail me here--and that's not easy.
In what most likely is the worst case of player/coach insanity I've ever read, it appears that "very competitive" T-Ball coach Mark Downs, of southwestern Pennsylvania (land of my birth) paid a player on his team $25 to hit a teammate with a ball so that Downs wouldn't have to play him.
Why?
Because the player was mentally disabled and Downs didn't want to be forced to play him, as T-ball rules stipulate.
This would be disgusting enough if it happened at a pro or college level, but T-ball is for 5-7 year olds, there's no pitching, and it's mostly played to get kids interested in the game. If you've ever watched T-ball in 'action' then you know, there ain't much action. Batters routinely strike out by hitting the rubber 'tee' instead of the ball on top of it. When kids do make contact and the ball dribbles into the shallow infield, it's an even money bet as to whether the kid will run to first or third base. Not exactly the venue for 'Coach' Downs' vision of sports glory in all of it's warpedness.
Words truly fail me here--and that's not easy.
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