Player Banned from League. Little League.

[vegasrebel29]

9-year-old boy told he's too good to pitch



NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player -- too good, it turns out.

The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.

Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho's team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho's coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.

But Vidro says he didn't quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league's field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.

"He's never hurt any one," Vidro said. "He's on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?"

The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.

"I feel sad," he said. "I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play."

Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators.

Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.

"I think it's discouraging when you're telling a 9-year-old you're too good at something," said his mother, Nicole Scott. "The whole objective in life is to find something you're good at and stick with it. I'd rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner."

League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.

"He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower," Noble said. "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport."

Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.

"Facing that kind of speed" is frightening for beginning players, Noble said.

League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.

League officials say Jericho's mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.

"I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho's mother exhibited Wednesday night," Noble said.

Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.

League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.

Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho's parents Monday to discuss legal options.

"You don't have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it's wrong," he said. "Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?"

Source

[idk]

Don't hardly know anything about this sport... but this sounds... somehow... American

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by idk

Don't hardly know anything about this sport... but this sounds... somehow... American

Don't be foolish. This isn't American. You should've heard all the angry listeners calling into a national sports radio show the other night to comment on this. People all over the country think this is retarded. It's just one community where parents got tired of seeing their kids lose when this kid is pitching, so they got all whiny about it. It's getting tons of public attention and will probably end up getting straightened out.

[Vette Boss]

This has to be bad for this kid's morale, being sacked for excellence. At this age, children should be taught to try their best at everything. Surely, having a winning pitcher is an advantage for the team, which is a good thing.

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by Vette Boss

This has to be bad for this kid's morale, being sacked for excellence. At this age, children should be taught to try their best at everything. Surely, having a winning pitcher is an advantage for the team, which is a good thing.

Totally agree. This kid has a bright future ahead of him. They shouldn't discourage him for being talented.

[matt2000]

This is mad but understandable. What I don't understand is why everything must involve lawyers now.

Anyway, just wait until this kid gets to professional level and starts breaking people's wrists (I talking about the guy who is behind the bloke with the bat, and catches it if the batter can't bat for shit).

[idk]

Originally Posted by jeffy777

Don't be foolish. This isn't American. You should've heard all the angry listeners calling into a national sports radio show the other night to comment on this. People all over the country think this is retarded. It's just one community where parents got tired of seeing their kids lose when this kid is pitching, so they got all whiny about it. It's getting tons of public attention and will probably end up getting straightened out.

Sorry. I didn't mean it in an offensive way. It's just that the most "ridiculous" news I've ever heard are things like these. And 99% they come from America.
But I'm aware that this doesn't show the general opinion and so on.
Please excuse

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by idk

Sorry. I didn't mean it in an offensive way. It's just that the most "ridiculous" news I've ever heard are things like these. And 99% they come from America.
But I'm aware that this doesn't show the general opinion and so on.
Please excuse

No worries But trust me: the majority of the American public I've heard from is pissed off about this story.

[vegasrebel29]

Originally Posted by idk

Sorry. I didn't mean it in an offensive way. It's just that the most "ridiculous" news I've ever heard are things like these. And 99% they come from America.
But I'm aware that this doesn't show the general opinion and so on.
Please excuse

Really, this stuff happens all over, but America's larger, more active population lends itself to more of it. For example, there was that Austrian guy with the dungeon mistress daughter, and that Australian kid who threw that house party for 1000 people. Still, your bias is understandable - but something you should work toward eliminating.

[idk]

Yeah, i think so. I'm pissed too about nearly everything that i read in my daily newspaper. The fact that it pisses of everybody doesn't change that it occurred in the first place.
Now that poor guy finds himself in the press. It just pisses ME of, that extraordinary achievements don't get honored... no they even try to get you out of competition. To sad when they really have the power to make that happen.

[thedguy]

Why not bump the kid up to a level with older players? Or is this league his only option?

[Cobol74]

No, excuse me but is this kid not an Afircan American - see where this is going. ... Nail the suckers.

[teletubby-warrior]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

Noe excuse me but is this kid not an Afircan American - see where this is going. ... Nail the suckers.

This post is wrong on so many levels. Put down the wine.

[Cobol74]

Originally Posted by teletubby-warrior

This post is wrong on so many levels. Put down the wine.

So if the kid is not African American they'd still be up in arms about him?

Even so he belongs to an oppressed (or am I sadly mis-informed: "Rodney King") minority, should the fact that he is better than everyone else mean that it is right to exclude him - I think not. Now let me see the British equivalent would be a brilliant fast bowler in Yorkshire from Pakistani background bowling everyone out - can you even imagine the outcry if someone / anyone tried to get him banned? No it does not happen. Nail the white kids parents for being racists - that would stop them, parents of kids of other colours should be confronted and they will back down. By the way this is about the most Un-American thing I have ever read!

Now explain to me, in detail, why I am wrong and I will apologise and rescind my post if it is so "Wrong on so many levels".

Watch the libel too matey.

[teletubby-warrior]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

So if the kid is not African American they'd still be up in arms about him?

Even so he belongs to an oppressed (or am I sadly mis-informed: "Rodney King") minority, should the fact that he is better than everyone else mean that it is right to exclude him - I think not. Now let me see the British equivalent would be a brilliant fast bowler in Yorkshire from Pakistani background bowling everyone out - can you even imagine the outcry if someone / anyone tried to get him banned? No it does not happen. Nail the white kids parents for being racists - that would stop them, parents of kids of other colours should be confronted and they will back down. By the way this is about the most Un-American thing I have ever read!

Now explain to me, in detail, why I am wrong and I will apologise and rescind my post if it is so "Wrong on so many levels".

Watch the libel too matey.

No offence, but I'm having a lot of trouble comprehending what you're typing today. In fact, I can't even respond because I have no idea what you're suggesting... He was banned because he's black? The other childrens' parents are racists? What?

[jeffy777]

Speaking of baseball:

@ teletubby-warrior: Go Cubs Go!

[wooflepoof]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

So if the kid is not African American they'd still be up in arms about him?

Even so he belongs to an oppressed (or am I sadly mis-informed: "Rodney King") minority, should the fact that he is better than everyone else mean that it is right to exclude him - I think not. Now let me see the British equivalent would be a brilliant fast bowler in Yorkshire from Pakistani background bowling everyone out - can you even imagine the outcry if someone / anyone tried to get him banned? No it does not happen. Nail the white kids parents for being racists - that would stop them, parents of kids of other colours should be confronted and they will back down. By the way this is about the most Un-American thing I have ever read!

Now explain to me, in detail, why I am wrong and I will apologise and rescind my post if it is so "Wrong on so many levels".

Watch the libel too matey.

WTF? rodney king was a wife beating drunk driving ass who ran from the cops after speeding, the issue there was how the cops unnecessarily BEAT him after finally catching him after the chase. how the FUCK do you compare him to a little boy who is good at baseball? wtf oppressed you're talking like its the 1960s. I'm sure if the kid was a 9 year old black, white, Albanian, or mopngorphlastariman pitching at half the speed of major league players and therefore dominating the league these parents would probably still take issue. For all you know one of the teams could be an all black squad...wtf civil rights lol

[Cobol74]

Originally Posted by teletubby-warrior

No offence, but I'm having a lot of trouble comprehending what you're typing today. In fact, I can't even respond because I have no idea what you're suggesting... He was banned because he's black? The other childrens' parents are racists? What?

Yep, he was too good and he is African American. Now ban a posh white kid because he has had privileges not open to others - I can see that. Ban a black kid who has achieved the American ideal of being a winner - that can only mean one thing can it not? So even if the other parents do not mean that it should, in no uncertain terms it should be pointed out to them that it is what it looks like to everyone else. And then threaten them with the law. That would stop this non sense.

Your country and mine need everyone who live within to be part of the whole, no matter what colour, race, religion, sex or what ever.

/EDIT America is the home of the winner (this lad) - none of this "well tried, came second do better next time" nonsense unfortunately we do so well.

[wooflepoof]

Yeah, I hate the way we opress black atletes in sports regardless of how good they are. Baseball, basketball, football, etc we all need to open our minds and accept blacks as part of the sports community. Shameful, really

[Cobol74]

Not all, just this poor (sic) kid.