Once again it took a parent to ruin a kid’s game.
I’m talking about the father who lied about his son’s age, which then led to a 14-year-old pitching in a Little League game.
When I coached Little League years ago, my son Toni had a late-year birthday. He had almost a year of skill and maturity over his teammates, which allowed him to excel on the mound.
This 14-year-old who pitched a no-hitter had an illegal advantage with two extra years of growth and experience. No wonder he was so good. We find out now that instead of going to school, he was practicing throwing curve balls.
While coaching several years ago, I saw parents come out of the stands and threaten umpires, boo players and make fools of themselves.
During that time, one night I observed a Pinewood Derby racecar roar past all the other entries at a Cub Scout event. The car was made by a well-meaning father who had cut the bottom out of it and filled it with hot lead so it would be heavier and roll faster.
What kid would have thought of that?
Once again it was a parent who ruined a kid’s sport.
