SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Staten Island manager Nick Doscher and one of his players were reprimanded by Little League World Series organizers Monday following an incident during the New York team's 1-0 loss to Lemont, Ill., in which the player yelled an obscenity and Doscher responded by striking him. Staten Island, trailing by a run, had just turned a double play in the top of the sixth when the unidentified player swore as the players huddled in the dugout before the team's final turn at-bat.
The obscenity was clearly heard on ESPN's prime-time broadcast of the game, just before the network cut to commercial. It appeared that Doscher then struck the player with an open hand.
"Little League International was extremely disappointed in the behaviour of the player and coach involved in the incident," the organization said in a statement.
"Because the incident was not noticed by any umpire, the Little League International Tournament Committee has reprimanded the player and manager. Both have been advised that any further similar or unsportsmanlike behaviour will result in removal from the Little League International Tournament."
Neither Doscher nor the player were immediately available for comment. The team planned a dinner off Little League grounds Monday night.
ESPN said it has decided to use a five-second delay for remaining Little League broadcasts.
They're 12 years old.
Apparently, the manager fails to realize that, too. For those of you who didn't hear it, the kid yelled to his teammates, "We only need one fucking run!" Which, of course was true. His choice of language could be debated, but you know, he's 12.
As often the case, it is the adult who needs to be reprimanded. He's not 12 and should know better. Since the umpires didn't see it, the only offense was in putting it on television, which gets back to my original point that the games probably don't belong on TV in the first place.
Kids are going to say things. He probably hears it a thousand times on the playground, and maybe even hears it in his home from his parents (or legal guardians). It's only that it was on TV that anyone seems to care or even notice, for that matter.
Get the games off television and there won't be a problem.
7 comments:
So, the manager HIT the child???
God help ANY adult who hits my child.
Well, yeah ... they kinda buried that lead, too. Lots of focus on the kid and what he said (which i think is irrelevant) and I only found out about the coach from the story I read this morning.
Another example of misplaced priorities in society.
Agreed. Obviously the "adult" is wrong for striking the youth. However, don't let the "youth" off so easily. It was definately bad form for him to drop the F-bomb in that situation. Being "only 12" is no excuse. The least you ask for, is the most you will get!
In what situation? I have no problem with what the kid said. He was trying to fire up his team, and if it wasn't on TV, about 10 people would have known he said it.
Being 12 is the perfect excuse, and an even better reason. Don't put children into adult situations and expect them to act like adults -- and definitely don't put it on television.
The "situation" is NATIONAL TV. I bet he made his mamma real proud with his choice of verbage. Its very sad that the only form of firing up his team is to drop F-bomb. He should have been benched then sent home. Its time for people to start expecting more from these kids, not less!
Anon - where do you think he learned the F-bomb? I'd venture a guess....from his coach &/or manager. Bet he heard it all the time in practice!
Anon: They're kids, remember? You're giving him way too much credit if he thought for a minute that a dugout conversation would wind up on TV - or that he would even care.
Didn't I say that these things shouldn't be on TV?
I'll bet you a dollar that his "mama" probably had the same word for his coach, too.
They're playing baseball, not doing surgery - anonymous - if that is your real name.
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